Everything But the Squeal
Wednesday August 17, 2005
And maybe that, too. The six-year (and two years overdue) transportation bill that President Bush signed last week has even more pork than the energy bill: 6,371 pet projects inserted by Congressmen from both sides of the aisle. The price tag on this beauty? $24 billion, or about 9 percent of the total bill. For context, in 1998, Republicans earmarked $9 billion for 1,467 projects, "twice as much pork as all the other highway bills of modern times put together."
Is it time for a reminder about war sacrifices? Deficit budgets? Only a handful thought so, Sen. McCain (R-AZ) being one of them: "How far and disgraceful a path we have tread in this pork-laden piece of overspending at a time when we have all-time [high] deficits." Of course, Arizona lost out on deals like these:
In 1987, President Reagan vetoed the highway and mass transit bill because of 152 earmarks for pet Congressional projects.
In his 2003 budget, Bush also criticized earmarks: "Across the spectrum of transportation programs, congressional earmarks undercut the [Transportation] Department's ability to fund projects that have successfully proved their merits." What has changed in the intervening two years? Hmmmmm ... could it be 2006 elections?
Forum: Does anyone care about high gas prices?
Tags: Gas Prices, Oil, Politics
Also see editorials: Houston Chronicle, Pryor (IN) Daily Times, Reading Eagle, Toledo Blade, Waco Tribune, Washington Post
Is it time for a reminder about war sacrifices? Deficit budgets? Only a handful thought so, Sen. McCain (R-AZ) being one of them: "How far and disgraceful a path we have tread in this pork-laden piece of overspending at a time when we have all-time [high] deficits." Of course, Arizona lost out on deals like these:
- AK - $230 million for a bridge to link Ketchikan (population 8,000) to Gravina Island (population 50) with a span longer than the Golden Gate Bridge. Does anyone know if this island is one of those with melting permafrost? Or rising sea levels? Oh, and there's $229 million for a bridge between Anchorage and Point MacKenzie.
- CA - $2.3 million to beautify the Ronald Reagan Freeway (then someone has to maintain it - more expense)
- GA - $1 million to renovate a historic bus station
- IL - $207 million for the Prairie Parkway connector to connect Chicago with suburbia - even though local officials aren't on board
- NY - $6 million to "eliminate" graffiti (like that's possible)
- OH - $2.75 million to renovate the six-year-old National Packard Museum
- VT - $5.8 million snowmobile trail
In 1987, President Reagan vetoed the highway and mass transit bill because of 152 earmarks for pet Congressional projects.
In his 2003 budget, Bush also criticized earmarks: "Across the spectrum of transportation programs, congressional earmarks undercut the [Transportation] Department's ability to fund projects that have successfully proved their merits." What has changed in the intervening two years? Hmmmmm ... could it be 2006 elections?
Forum: Does anyone care about high gas prices?
Tags: Gas Prices, Oil, Politics
Also see editorials: Houston Chronicle, Pryor (IN) Daily Times, Reading Eagle, Toledo Blade, Waco Tribune, Washington Post