McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
Heather Higgins ·
Nov 15, 2010 at 12:06pm
Sen. McConnell spoke on the floor of the Senate and told the American people he'd listened. So there will be an earmark ban in both houses. But earmarks, while important both as symbols and because they really do act as a "gateway drug" as Sen. Coburn puts it, inducing votes that otherwise wouldn't have happened, are only part of the problem. Really, it's the spirit of them that upset us -- the un-transparent, favorable treatment for one entity at the expense of another. And that goes for amendments, (can you say Cornhusker Kickback?) just as much as earmarks.
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
Maybe Sen. McConnell reads Ricochet. Maybe reading Ricochet should be mandatory for our elected representatives? God knows, the membership here has more common sense than our political class, the MSM, and the TSA put together.
Aug '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
I won't believe this until the moving vans fill the side streets on K.
Sep '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
I read the article and I am glad to hear the senator has had a change of heart. Both he and Senator Inhofe have argued that this gives earmark power to the executive which will be worse, but....
What I think he does not understand is that, what the Republicans lack is credibitility with the American people. This ban will boost that credibility. Cutting discretionary spending, although not the big answer, will do the same. That way when the Congress comes to the people and ask for the hard things like Social Security Reform, Medicaire Reform, Higher taxes on gasoline, Mortgage interest reform, they hopefully will have enough credibility to get something done.
Right now no one will give on any large thing because no one will do the relatively easy things. This is a first and welcome step, Go Mitch Go!
Oct '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
"Sen. McConnell spoke on the floor of the Senate and told the American people he'd listened."
You're welcome.
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
I think this is a crucial point. It's sort of like we're issuing the lawmakers a learner's permit. They're not really ready for anything more sophisticated than simple, easy to understand, small word legislation.
If I had my way, every piece of legislation proposed would have to be accompanied by pictures. Like a children's book.
Oct '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
Rob Long
If I had my way, every piece of legislation proposed would have to be accompanied by pictures. Like a children's book.
Got yer crayons ready?
Jul '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
JM Hanes
Rob Long
If I had my way, every piece of legislation proposed would have to be accompanied by pictures. Like a children's book.
Got yer crayons ready? · Nov 15 at 5:58pm
Is that what a successful completion of Tempest looks like?
Oct '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
Palaeologus:
More like this, I think.
Nov '10
Re: McConnell's About Face on Earmarks
I'm pleased to see that it took the Ricochet community less than 48 hours to solve a problem of this size. What shall we tackle next? The Middle East?