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March 24, 2007
More from the New Boss... - UPDATED
Worse, it seems, than the old boss. Speaker Pelosi got her Iraq war timetable passed - by handing out billions in government goodies. Among the items listed on the "Iraq Supplemental Bill:"
Aquaculture Operations: Provides $5 million for payments to "aquaculture operations and other persons in the U.S. engaged in the business of breeding, rearing, or transporting live fish" (such as shellfish, oysters and clams) to cover economic losses incurred as a result of an emergency order issued by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on October 24, 2006.You know, I've never been much in favor of term limits, but between the last Congress and this one, the idea has grown in appeal because the chambers need to be cleaned, and it's becoming clear the voters are too invested in pork to make the change of their own accord.Spinach: Provides $25 million for payments to spinach producers that were unable to market spinach crops as a result of the FDA Public Health Advisory issued on September 14, 2006.
Hurricane Citrus Program: Provides $100 million to provide assistance to citrus producers (such as orange producers) in the area declared a disaster related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Peanut Storage Subsidies: Provides $74 million to extend peanut storage payments through 2007. The Peanut Subsidy Storage program, which is set to expire this year, pays farmers for the storage, handling, and other costs for peanuts voluntarily placed in the marketing loan program.
Pork is voter corruption, and it makes me sick.
Voters keep electing the same craven characters to Congress, secure in the knowledge that Congressman Piggy can keep the funds flowing to their district. They do this without regard for the damage that Congressman Piggy does while in Congress - look at Senator Robert Byrd, the king of Pork. West Virginians keep electing the bastard and don't seem to care that their windfall is at our expense. Voters in Mississipi do the same thing - Senator Trent Lott is a glutton for the government trough, and his voters don't seem to give a damn what his spending does to the federal budget to which we all contribute.
Short of states declaring war on one another, there is little a voter in Maine or Indiana or Missouri can do to get rid of the Lotts and Byrds other than advocate for a total overhaul of the way we elect members of Congress. I would suggest looking at Maine's term limits law - it's not lifetime term limits, but it does require elected officials to at least take a break between limited terms.
During that break, perhaps our elected masters could see how the other half lives.
UPDATE - How do you spell chutzpah? H-O-D-E-S.
"With our vote this week, we're helping our troops, protecting our veterans, and fighting to end the waste, fraud and abuse," said Hodes, delivering the Democrats' weekly radio address. "After four years of a failed policy, Democrats are insisting on a new direction in Iraq and a real plan that holds the Iraqi people accountable for their own country."Emphasis mine.
Just who the heck does this joker think he's fooling?
Well, other than the media.
Posted by slublog at March 24, 2007 02:05 PM
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Comments
I think we should go back to having the state legislatures selecting the senators. That would help a lot.
Posted by: Enas Yorl at March 23, 2007 02:20 PM
That would certainly raise the stakes for electing state representatives and senators. Not enough people take those jobs seriously.
Posted by: Slublog at March 23, 2007 02:44 PM