Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever

[Schism]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever

After a decadelong ban on the practice, members of Congress are once again loading up legislation with pork-barrel spending that the rest of us have to pay for.

The $1.5 trillion omnibus government funding bill that cleared the Senate on Thursday night (after passing the House earlier this week) marks the return of earmarks, spending that individual members of Congress can direct to their home districts. According to The Hill, citing a report being circulated among Senate Republicans, the 2,741-page bill includes more than 4,000 earmarks.

Sen. Mike Braun (R–Ind.), an earmark opponent whose office has been tallying up the projects included in the omnibus bill, claims the final total is about $8 billion.

That includes items like $3 million for a Palo Alto History Museum in California, according to a partial list of earmarks in the new legislation being compiled by Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative nonprofit. "The city is highly affluent and home to nine Forbes 400 billionaires," the group asks. "Why can't this be paid for with local or private dollars?"

This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

 

[Mycroft]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever


This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

The House and Senate also gave themselves more money to pay people to conduct their political corruption. Especially in the House.

Legislative Branch bill boosts Members Representational Allowance, Capitol Police - Roll Call

The fiscal 2022 omnibus bill would boost staff and operations funding, including for Capitol Police, which has had hiring challenges.

rollcall.com

 

[jnug]

The House and Senate also gave themselves more money to pay people to conduct their political corruption. Especially in the House.

Legislative Branch bill boosts Members Representational Allowance, Capitol Police - Roll Call

The fiscal 2022 omnibus bill would boost staff and operations funding, including for Capitol Police, which has had hiring challenges.

rollcall.com

Yes, a good idea if you ask me. Its about time Congress starting clawing back some power from the Executive. They are not the Article 1 authority for nothing.

 

[jnug]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever


This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

Good.....earmarks are the lynchpin of negotiations and negotiating is what legislating is all about. Of course the GOP steadfastly dedicated to obstructionism all the way to the absurd ends realized by Newt Gingrich in the 1990's is a bit twist and tween on this one since their overarching objectives are to do NOTHING as loudly as possible.

 

[Mycroft]

Yes, a good idea if you ask me. Its about time Congress starting clawing back some power from the Executive. They are not the Article 1 authority for nothing.

They are not "clawing back power". They are spending taxpayer money that they don't have for the sole purpose of enabling their corrupt use of Congress.

 

[jnug]

They are not "clawing back power". They are spending taxpayer money that they don't have for the sole purpose of enabling their corrupt use of Congress.

Clawing back some power from the Executive is exactly what they are doing and earmarks are not a corrupt use of Congress. They are the grease of the wheels of negotiation and negotiation is the lynchpin of Legislation. So sorry....nothing corrupt about it. It comes with the territory.

 

[bongsaway]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever


This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

Four thousand earmarks all for the dems to total eight billion, is that the story?

 

[Mycroft]

Clawing back some power from the Executive is exactly what they are doing and earmarks are not a corrupt use of Congress. They are the grease of the wheels of negotiation and negotiation is the lynchpin of Legislation. So sorry....nothing corrupt about it. It comes with the territory.

No Congressman needs more staff or more money for staff to negotiate with another Congressman. All they need to do is sit down and talk. That doesn't cost a single dime or require a single staff member.

And if Congress wants to "claw back some power", all they need to do is pass a bill that revokes the bills they previously passed in which they gave away their power. That doesn't cost more money, either.

 

[jnug]

No Congressman needs more staff or more money for staff to negotiate with another Congressman. All they need to do is sit down and talk. That doesn't cost a single dime or require a single staff member.

And if Congress wants to "claw back some power", all they need to do is pass a bill that revokes the bills they previously passed in which they gave away their power. That doesn't cost more money, either.

Actually, if they think they need more money to be effective, given that the Congress has been remarkably ineffective of late, and the money they are asking for is a mere pittance compared to the total federal budget, I have no problem with it. I am in no position to know better than them what they need AND NEITHER ARE YOU!

 

[HikerGuy83]

Actually, if they think they need more money to be effective, given that the Congress has been remarkably ineffective of late, and the money they are asking for is a mere pittance compared to the total federal budget, I have no problem with it. I am in no position to know better than them what they need AND NEITHER ARE YOU!

All you need do is look at the Administrative state they've built to know they need to spend money watching over it.

Things like the EPA have gone off the plantation (and did a long time ago). So, yes we know congress needs to pull back this kind of thing by having more staff to watch and oversee it.

 

[Gateman_Wen]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever


This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

You do realize this had bipartisan support, right? And that pet projects for Republicans (like support for Alaskan fisheries from R Dan Sullivan) was one of the holdups?

 

[HikerGuy83]

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive As Ever


This is the kind of money Maxine Waters likes to get her hands on.

Schumer's name appears on 142 earmarks. LOL - of course he does.

Everyone loves a good, under the radar, wealth redistribution program.

 

[Mycroft]

Actually, if they think they need more money to be effective, given that the Congress has been remarkably ineffective of late, and the money they are asking for is a mere pittance compared to the total federal budget, I have no problem with it. I am in no position to know better than them what they need AND NEITHER ARE YOU!

LOL!!

If Congress has been "remarkably ineffective", it's not because they don't have enough money.

They spend almost $3 Billion on themselves right now.