Speaker Pork?
Published Mon, Nov 13 2006 12:30 PM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics
Which is it going to be? Is Rep. Pelosi going to fight against pork or is she going to bring more pork home to the Bay Area? Her public statements so far say she's going to fight it, but newspapers in the bay area seem to be expecting her to bring it in...
WASHINGTON — Democrats aim to open the next Congress in January with a new rule that identifies lawmakers who use legislative "earmarks" to help special interests — a change Republicans promised but didn't implement.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said her first agenda item after being elected House speaker will be a vote to require sponsors of earmarks to be identified. Currently, lawmakers can remain anonymous in sponsoring an earmark, which is language in a bill that directs funds or tax benefits to a business, project or institution.
"There has to be transparency," the California congresswoman told USA TODAY last week. "I'd just as soon do away with all (earmarks), but that probably isn't realistic."
Source: Democrats: Identify pork sponsors - USATODAY.com
SAN FRANCISCO - House Speaker Tip O'Neill secured down payments for Boston's Big Dig. Sam Rayburn sent gushers of cash back to Texas, along with tax breaks that helped its oil industry. Hospitals, schools and non-profits in Dennis Hastert's home town of Aurora, Ill. have seen millions roll in during his reign as speaker.
Now Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco is poised to follow them as House speaker -- a perch predecessors used to channel big cash to pet projects back home.
''There's a long tradition where not only can you bring back your average pork as a member of Congress, but speaker pork gives you a lot of money, a lot of influence over the purse,'' said Julian E. Zelizer, a congressional historian at Boston University.
Democrat Pelosi will be the first Californian to hold the post, and congressional watchdogs say they'll be observing her new spending clout with great interest.
Source: Monterey County Herald | 11/11/2006 | Pelosi in top spot to bring home the pork
Personally, I'm suspicious of all of this "new tone" talk I'm hearing from the Democrats lately. To put it mildly, I don't belie a word of it. The Democrats, just like all politicians, are pretty good at talking out of both sides of their mouths.
The talk of "bipartisanship" from the Democrats is just that, talk. When President Bush was elected he spoke of bringing a "new tone" to Washington politics. He reached out to the Democrats and had his hands slapped. The Democrats complained about his unilateral policies and bemoaned the lack of bipartisanship.
Sadly, to Democrats, a measure is bipartisan only when the Democrats get everything they want, and the Republicans get nothing.
I believe this is a lot of public relations spin designed to lull the people into thinking the Democrats are reasonable and cooperative, while getting ready to continue their aggressive opposition to administration policies.
Democrats just love socialism. Look at their plans for socialized medicine (in the guise of having the government negotiate prices with the pharmaceuticals industry). Look at their pandering regarding the minimum wage and their plans for income redistribution through taxation.
Big government is the means to big power for socialists. Pork spending is another means to big government.
I expect to see Rep. Pelosi bringing in as much pork as she can for the Bay Area, despite her assurances to USA Today last week. Remember, her lips are moving.
Hat tip: Public Figures Beware
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Beach Girl responded with:
 | You are wise not to believe a word the Demhicats say about "new tone" and being bipartisan. That's all designed to be able to say, "those rascally Republicans wouldn't play fair and we couldn't get anything done." Boohoo, boohoo.
I keep hoping for a statesman to pop out but hope if for dummies in politics. |
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