Why Did the Pig Cross the Road?
Why Did the Pig Cross the Road?
Last week, House members said many of the favors bestowed in exchange for voting yes on CAFTA would be tucked into the huge highways bill that Congress was simultaneously debating. Even House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MS) admitted “‘it didn’t hurt’ that Congress was putting the finishing touches on a federal highway bill at the same time that the House was voting on CAFTA. ‘It’s certainly not beyond the realm of possibility’ that lawmakers would tie their votes on CAFTA to getting certain projects in the highway bill, Blunt said.”
Now the AP reports that an “estimated $24 billion in the [highway] bill [is] set aside for highways, bus stops, parking lots and bike trails requested by lawmakers.” In fact, with over 6, 000 special projects, the bill sets a new record for pork barrel politics. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), “one of only four senators to oppose the bill,” described it as “egregious and remarkable.” Here are some of the “favors” that found their way in:
- $200,000 for a deer avoidance system in Weedsport, N.Y.
- $330 million for a highway in Bakersfield., Calif.
- $480,000 to rehabilitate a historic warehouse on the Erie Canal
- $3 million for dust control mitigation on Arkansas rural roads.
- $2.3 million for landscaping on the Ronald Reagan Freeway in California (Truly ironic is the fact that Pres. Reagan once vetoed a highway bill because of its exorbitant spending expenses)
The vice president of policy for Taxpayers for Common Sense concluded, “This bill will be known as the most earmarked transportation bill in the history of our nation.” It also could be known as the bill that shows quite how vain lawmakers can be:
- Transportation Committee Chairman Don Young (R-AK) set aside $231 million for a bridge near Anchorage to be named “Don Young’s Way”
- Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) “used his seniority” to “secure $16 million for the eponymous Nick J. Rahall II Appalachian Transportation Institute at Marshall University”
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My god you critisized both parties, get out of here. Well we agree on something, that’s good. Kudos, they both get thorns for this BS, and nasty emails and phone calls from me as well. I’m thinking 3rd and 4th parties are in order, but since the demos cut the throat of the Greens and the Repubs did in the Reform party it’s time to start over again. But at least you called it like it was, neither party has clean hands.
August 2nd, 2005 at 5:09 pmCmon Fake did you really think Pork was restricted to the democrats or the republicans?
Its kind of like animal. The minority party complains of the excess of the majority party, but when they gain the majority, end up being exactly like those they replace.
August 2nd, 2005 at 5:27 pmBribes in public
August 2nd, 2005 at 5:31 pmmeant to say animal farm sorry to be confusing.
August 2nd, 2005 at 5:37 pmIsn’t it time that we (the millions who don’t get pork for political breakfast) gave up on the 3d party idea and simply started putting all the pressure we can muster on our two existing parties to get the crap out of politics?
Is there some reason that all legislation, except for the tiny portion truly dealing with emergencies, can’t be made public for 10 days before the legislators are allowed to vote? And amendments require that the 10-day period begin all over again?
That would at least make it possible to raise a fuss BEFORE the damn law is passed, and would make it considerably harder for legislators to insert the worst pork into bills at the last minute–like Tom DeLay’s “mysteriously inserted” $1.5 billion for Houston oil companies in the energy bill that supposedly had been finalized. That new provision stipulates that 75% of the $1.5 billion allocated for deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico must go toward “a corporation that is constructed as a consortium.” http://news.yahoo.com/ s/ thenation/ 20050801/ cm_thenation/ 139369/ nc:742
August 2nd, 2005 at 5:52 pmThis outrageous boondoggle was bribery and extortion. CAFTA needed to be passed - Bush would have been too embarrassed if it hadn’t - so deals were made. The Democrats who voted for it were sell-outs, and the Republicans were just doing their usual sidling up to the trough.
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:07 pmFascismBreedsIgnorance,
What you always seem to miss is that liberals criticize both parties ALL THE TIME - it’s your own little right wing buddies that only seem to criticize those CONservatives who have any sanity!
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:14 pmWhat we need is campaign finance reform. We need to get election rigging folks like Noe in ohio who ‘paid’ numerous people to get them to contribute illegally to the republican party with HIS money (money laundering), help bribe officials to use rigged diebold equipment (his wife was involved in the Diebold bribing scandal) and ironically bilk the republican party of 50 million dollars in the process (my favorite bit of CONservative karma;) in order to buy an election out of the process. As long as we have this corporate schilled election system in place that allows wealthy and corporate partisans to steal elections from people through swift boat propaganda, rigged voting machines, and any number of other undemocratic means - we will never have a restored democracy!
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:20 pm#7, you’re right, Ryan. We liberals aren’t squeamish about yelling at one of our own — after all friends and family do it all the time. We are painfully honest like that. The point is that we are not like our counterparts: in lock-step, wearing little brown shirts and saluting the leader no matter how wrong he is. Their united front which has bribed and purchased seats in Congress and the White House has won - for now - but the people are restless. They (finally) are beginning to waken from the hypnotic slumber of the spell of Rove.
August 2nd, 2005 at 6:56 pmRyan Neat,
Have you changed sides? Last week you called me every thing but a white man because I claimed we did not have a free market society in the health care business. Here is a copy of a post I placed on the previous topic. Will you please tell me why we are not on the same side and why you consider me to be all those nasty things?
There will be no relief from the thievery in this country by the large corporations until there are political campaign funding restrictions put on all political candidates. Todays candidates are bought and paid for, albeit in the reverse order, by businesses (PACs). There is no honest sane man that would spend $5,000,000 of his own money for a two, four, or six year job that pays $200,000.00 per year. The campaign contributors are paying for a license to steal from your pocket and mine. There will be no alternate to the max 20 mpg automobile so long as the oil companies and the auto companies own the politicians. DUHbys wasn’t elected for his looks, his “Christian� finger, or his great personal love for Democracy and the United States. DUHbya was elected because he is a dumb crook and stooge for his Daddy and Cheney. He was elected because enough money was paid to buy the votes–either from those voting or those counting them. The only answer is to impeach the lot of them and start over with some reasonably honest new crooks.
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:00 pmDon,
I don’t know what your rant is, or what you mean by your posting which is vague in your point…
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:13 pmDon, I criticized you last week because the health care ‘industry’ is a sham and frankly nationalized medicine works better if it’s not destroyed by cheap CONservatives.
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:15 pmhttp://www.scvresources.com/highways/sr_118.htm
The RRR Freeway, in all its parched glory.
Note King David trudging up the sere desert median.
That landscaping is going to last about as long as the plastic plants lining the ORIGINAL Reagan Fwy, now simply the Marina Fwy, and now simply the ambient dirt and scrub that is the norm in unirrigated landscaping.
Plastic plants, like little palm trees, with bright plastic green ‘leaves’ attached directly to the ‘trunks.’
Looked like some kind of fancy toilet brush.
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:20 pmRyan,
On a topic last week I made a comment that there was not a free market in the health care industry because the buyers effectively have no choice to leave the market. You claimed that I was full of shit, dumb, blind and a few other foul words because it was an oligarcy. If an oligarcy is a free market you need a dictionary. You also didn’t have the balls to answer then just as you are pulling a Bushie now–” I don’t have any idea what you are talking about. My point is just read the damn post and respond with logic and politeness without finding fault with the messengeror don’t waste everybody’s time. If you disagree with me just say so and make your point without the name calling.
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:21 pmRyan,
If you are going to write it down then don’t lie!
Don,
That’s nonsense. Most people can’t afford insurance other than what’s shoved down their throat. When an HMO is paid for by yourself (and your employer) as the only affordable choice, then how is that a free market? It’s already an oligarchy of sorts, but one controlled by insurance companies that on average increase the costs of health care by ~30 percent, and by health care ‘corporations’ that increase health care by ~25 percent more. This is why the US spends twice per capita on health care as the other industrialized nations, and yet we have 40 million uninsured!
The current health care system means that these 40 million people don’t get health care until it’s so expensive that it costs the public more money than if the person were getting preventative care through health insurance. It’s a stupid topsy turvey situation propagated by blind and self willed ignorance and stupidity from people like yourself. Get a clue!
Comment by Ryan Neat  July 27, 2005 @ 5:33 pm
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:34 pmDon,
I think I was attacking someone else, not you - perhaps I mistyped your name? Sometimes I respond to more than one posting at a time, and perhaps that’s what happened?
Anyway I agree that healther isn’t a real free market in this country - so I’m not sure why I would have said differently. Perhaps I was agreeing with you but worded it poorly or even unfairly or inappropriately - and if I did I apologize!
However, I don’t think medicine works well as an open free market without stringent regulation as the opportunity and incentive for abuse of desperate individuals is too great. That’s why I’m in favor of a single payer system instead. Does that clarify my stance?
I really don’t have any idea what you’re talking about, but if I attacked you unfairly or unjustly I SINCERLY apologize!
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:34 pmDon,
I would have to see the rest of the thread to know why I reacted that way - because I’m not sure what you said that I felt was nonsense… I seem to recall someone posting about people can just get health insurance if they want it - but perhaps I wrote your name instead of theirs inappropriately. I write/type fast - and I do make mistakes!!!!
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:36 pmRyan,
Apology accepted and one offered.
I agree with most of your postings and my feelings were tweaked a tad. Let’s stay together and hang the bastards!
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:46 pmDon,
I’ve got your back ;)
Anyone interested in the Conyers report on the Stolen Ohio investigation - here’s a summary link of all of the damning evidence. Harpers magazine also did an extensive analysis in this month’s edition - and came to the same conclusion that statisticians have known for almost a year - the election was rigged and the loser was american democracy!
http://www.freepress.org/ departments/ display/ 19/ 2005/ 1383
August 2nd, 2005 at 7:50 pmRahall’s Appalachian Transportation Institute sounds promising. How many El Caminos could one buy for $16 mil? Maybe all of them?
August 2nd, 2005 at 8:22 pmWhat do they do at the Appalachian Trans. Inst.? Test which makes a better road suface, dirt or gravel.
August 2nd, 2005 at 9:26 pmMy god, would Ryan and Don take it to e-mails? we don’t care who’s bickering about what. you’re derailing the topic with stupid wordplay.
Can we get back on topic now?
August 2nd, 2005 at 11:14 pmI feel, probably like most, that our decline is the fault of our election process. But I’m at a loss as to any ideas of how to correct it. Between ‘00 and ‘04 I really didn’t hear of any solid effort by our government officials to address the problem. In my state, we vote by mail, but I still don’t have confidence in the way the votes are counted.
We know that the approval ratings for congress are in the toilet, and rightly so. I think it makes sense that if the current majority retains that majority in the next election it is not because we didn’t vote their as#es out.
I’m sure there are alot of people that have a basic understanding of how computers work and I find it pretty effing unbelievable that ANYONE thinks we should be voting into one.
Why don’t the politicians that have our and their interests at stake get this under control??
August 3rd, 2005 at 10:25 amIt was nice to see you kiss and make up. I hope you won’t mind if I continue to have fun at your expense when I tell you two to GET A ROOM!
August 3rd, 2005 at 10:42 amThis is a Catch-22 issue. We can call our local rep a jerk for being a porker, but that pork is coming to our district, and if we didn’t get it, some other district would.
We need to return constitutional priciples to congress. Spending should only be allowed if constitutionally authorized by Article I, Section 8 or one of the amendments.
How to do this?
1) Elect as many constitutionalists reps/sens as possible (this won’t have any effect unless a majority is reached though)
2) Elect a constitutionalist president (could veto pork bills and appoint constitutionalist judges)
3) Use the court system to strike down unconstitutional spending bills (only if constitutionalist judges are installed)
The only way to truly limit pork spending is to have a limited list of things you can spend on, and stick to that list as conservatively as possible.
August 3rd, 2005 at 10:57 amYou just don’t get it, Tony. They want to tax us into blowing up Federal buildings again. so they can shoot us, burn us out, or make us move to Mexico.
August 3rd, 2005 at 11:07 amWe’re talking about pigs on this thread, Tony and FBA, finally, literally on topic.
August 3rd, 2005 at 11:18 amGreen Day Rocks. They sing about you American Idiots!
August 3rd, 2005 at 11:25 amIt is true that using the past as a marker, whichever party is in power uses that power to lard their supporters. Democrats did the same thing prior to ‘94. I think some of it is required just ot grease the wheels. What I think we all agree on is that the excessive bloat is not to the citizens as a whole’s advantage. Some times you need to tell your friend they are being selfish and are making everyone look foolish.
God I miss Clinton. If for no other reason than the fiscal restraint he was able to bring forth. Do I miss all Clinton’s ways? NO. Triangulation as a strategy is not always trumped by real leadership. Some things you just have to go out on a limb for to get.
August 3rd, 2005 at 11:28 amFBA, you even have that wrong. You know who the target is, you nazi conformist dip-shits. See, Green Day has creativity, totally lacking on the right.
August 3rd, 2005 at 12:45 pmCalculated peolple are rarely creative or have a sense of humor. Just read this blog on a daily basis, and anyone would arrive at that conclusion.
FBA,
Are you onto more insane conspiracy crap now?
For those who don’t know it FBA claimed that Podesta was a traitor to american security because he allowed the Barbie Computer to be sold to china. Yes, if Clinton hadn’t raised the super computer ‘threshold’, the Barbie Computer sold to 8 year old girls would have been considered a ’super computer’, and not been exportable to china. He ‘claims’ that this import lifting is why China has nuclear weapons - I didn’t know Barbie was a nuclear scientist - but it would explain her high forehead!
FBA and his ilk make these wild assertions, with no facts or even analysis from credible government sources that indicate they’re anything but nut jobs - and when challenged on the stupidity of their claims they say ‘I won’ out of no where. They are truly sociopathic insane individuals - and they explain why the CONservatives continue to ruin this country.
As for Taxes, FBA - you’re once again showing what a retard you are - the greatest boom time in america (the 1940s) had a tax rate of ~75% on the wealthiest americans with relatively few tax breaks. The average person in this income bracket now ‘pays’
August 3rd, 2005 at 3:02 pmMore Links Than You Can Shake A Stick At
Lotsa linkage from The WB42 5:30 Report with Doug Krile. The Ohio Election, Bill and Hillary, Bill O’Reilly and more.
August 3rd, 2005 at 3:18 pmFBA,
Thanks for showing yet again the depths of your ignorance and stupidity. Green Day performed ‘american idiot’ onstage wearing a Bush Mask. You’re such a dufus!
August 4th, 2005 at 2:21 amIndiana rocks!
August 5th, 2005 at 12:38 pmRyan you are such a blow hard. I knew you would be blogging again. Come back to Americablog, I never left.
August 8th, 2005 at 4:15 am[…] pork-filled transportation bill. Calls it “fiscally responsible.” 2:41 pm | Comment (0) […]
August 10th, 2005 at 2:41 pmok, facts:
CLINTON- left us the BIGGEST BUDGET SURPLUS in HISTORY.
shrub- took the biggest budget surplus in HISTORY and took us to the ALL TIME BIGGEST BUDGET DEFICIT IN HISTORY.
FAUX NEWS…..WE DECIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 11th, 2005 at 3:42 amBalance the budget, and leave us with a surplus a great feat (if you are a repug), not so great if you are a Democrat.
Treat people like people, a great feat if you are a repug, not so great if you’re a dem.
Commit treason and not allow people the access to FACTS, OK if you are a REPUGnican, spooge on a repugnican whore, you get impeached.
WHAT DOUBLE STANDARDS????
August 11th, 2005 at 3:45 amvbkghkhkljhuljip;iupuipuhpoi[poi[pjoi[]pjo][i;lkj;kl’lkn”ln’lk’nkl’kl’nlkuioyt9tr76xdhicgym fuyrt7yu hg ctgjh
November 3rd, 2005 at 2:27 amjonny
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December 8th, 2006 at 4:52 am