find some of the rhetoric amusing.

Seems when President Obama said last week to congress...""I'm proud that we passed a recovery plan free of earmarks,....." even the Democrats had to laugh !!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/...ork/index.html

Not sure whether he just fibs openly or he cant control the congress !!!!!

I wholeheartedly believe the earmark situation is a congressional issue (read bipartisan). There is about a 60/40 split (Dem/Rep) in earmarks on the bill receiving all the press right now. The sense of entitlment from congressmen is amazing. They categorically state it is their "right" to do this. I find it almost physically sickening that it continues to occur from both sides while we attempting to navigate this crisis.
Congress knows full well they can hamstring POTUS on this. Without a line item veto it is either veto the bill, then have congress overide, or be held hostage by congress and let things grind to a halt. Then of course the inevitable PR connundrums of vetoing a bill that is needed to keep the government funded, or a defense spending bill. Those in opposition will cry how the President is holding things up by not passing a bill, but fail to mention that he is doing so because it is stuffed with pork. This has been going on since at least the 70s in a broad fashion.
So there is the conundrum. This is not a party problem but and indictment of congress and our political system at large. How to get change when members of both parties rabidly hold on their pork projects? I see no other solution than following the suggestions of others and sweeping out the incumbents with a mandate that newly elected members of congress conduct business differently. Perhaps believing that will work is naive too though.
I am hoping that change can come on this issue, but with both side holding greedily to there pork I think a long uphill battle is coming for the President. Lets make sure we put the responsibility of this where it truly is. None of this is new, and as with any ingrained system, change is going to take effort, commitment and time.

Originally Posted by serenityseeker

I wholeheartedly believe the earmark situation is a congressional issue (read bipartisan). There is about a 60/40 split (Dem/Rep) in earmarks on the bill receiving all the press right now. The sense of entitlment from congressmen is amazing. They categorically state it is their "right" to do this. I find it almost physically sickening that it continues to occur from both sides while we attempting to navigate this crisis.
Congress knows full well they can hamstring POTUS on this. Without a line item veto it is either veto the bill, then have congress overide, or be held hostage by congress and let things grind to a halt. Then of course the inevitable PR connundrums of vetoing a bill that is needed to keep the government funded, or a defense spending bill. Those in opposition will cry how the President is holding things up by not passing a bill, but fail to mention that he is doing so because it is stuffed with pork. This has been going on since at least the 70s in a broad fashion.
So there is the conundrum. This is not a party problem but and indictment of congress and our political system at large. How to get change when members of both parties rabidly hold on their pork projects? I see no other solution than following the suggestions of others and sweeping out the incumbents with a mandate that newly elected members of congress conduct business differently. Perhaps believing that will work is naive too though.
I am hoping that change can come on this issue, but with both side holding greedily to there pork I think a long uphill battle is coming for the President. Lets make sure we put the responsibility of this where it truly is. None of this is new, and as with any ingrained system, change is going to take effort, commitment and time.

I AGREE WITH YOU ON ALL POINTS !!!!

My problem is two fold...this President stood and said NONE just last week when he knew better, and secondly what he said during the campaign.

My problems with this President (and I SINCERELY hope I am wrong and would welcome the day when I need to come in here and apologize) is that I think he is a bright, and briliant even politician, BUT he has conned so many people with his rhetoric. HE IS A POLITICIAN....when you check what he has done it will tell you what he will do.

Do I think that Sen McCain was a better choice...as an individual NO, but in the current settings, ie., the current congress then yes. Without some kind of control this situation is going to get out of hand very very quickly.

There are so many little "wrinkles" in the stiumulus that he did not tell us that beholds the states to the federal government for a long long time and so many left wing radical groups that will share in the money it is just plain scary.

BUT I do agree with you and thank you for saying it. I have never said that President Obama added the pork but do question who is running the show !!!

Originally Posted by Bucco

I AGREE WITH YOU ON ALL POINTS !!!!

My problem is two fold...this President stood and said NONE just last week when he knew better, and secondly what he said during the campaign.

My problems with this President (and I SINCERELY hope I am wrong and would welcome the day when I need to come in here and apologize) is that I think he is a bright, and briliant even politician, BUT he has conned so many people with his rhetoric. HE IS A POLITICIAN....when you check what he has done it will tell you what he will do.

Do I think that Sen McCain was a better choice...as an individual NO, but in the current settings, ie., the current congress then yes. Without some kind of control this situation is going to get out of hand very very quickly.

There are so many little "wrinkles" in the stiumulus that he did not tell us that beholds the states to the federal government for a long long time and so many left wing radical groups that will share in the money it is just plain scary.

BUT I do agree with you and thank you for saying it. I have never said that President Obama added the pork but do question who is running the show !!!

They are ALL "POLITICIANS", McCain and everyone else included.
Will Obama make mistakes, misteps, and mistatements (lies by some views)? Of course, just like there will always be a loyal cadre in opposition to leap upon each and every one of them. This is the distasteful nature of politics IMHO. It's hard to roll in the mud and tussel with pigs without getting dirty, so unfortunately everyone gets soiled until everyone is willing to clean up their act. Problem is, as long as the economy and prosperity are rocking along it doesn't seem to concern everyone quite as much.
I also wonder, how many of those clamoring about earmarks on both sides are willing to step up and strike them from their district or state, or from those of their colleagues? How many citizens are willing to refuse them for their community? I suspect few on both sides when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

Originally Posted by serenityseeker

They are ALL "POLITICIANS", McCain and everyone else included.
Will Obama make mistakes, misteps, and mistatements (lies by some views)? Of course, just like there will always be a loyal cadre to leap upon each and every one of them. This is the distasteful nature of politics IMHO. It's hard to roll in the mud and tussel with pigs without getting dirty, so unfortunately everyone gets soiled until everyone is willing to clean up their act. Problem is, as long as the economy and prosperity are rocking along it doesn't seem to concern everyone quite as much.
I also wonder, how many of those clamoring about earmarks on both sides are willing to step up and strike them from their district or state, or from those of their colleagues? How many citizens are willing to refuse them for their community? I suspect few on both sides when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

Again, I agree with you on the earmarks !

I do not want to get into the other side of my feelings, ie., in my heart KNOWING where this President wants to take us thus I am SURE I am pretty much over sensitive to everthing he is doing. I spent more time researching him during the campaign than maybe I should have but no surprises thus far from him but I promise I will stand up tall when I support him.

Right now, other than the earmarks I worry about all the "fine print" in the stimulus bill !!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/...tml#cnnSTCText

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/05/pos...ion/index.html

It's also interesting how many of these are Co-sponsered by DEM and Rep members. Seems like the outrage loses a little credibility at this point.

Originally Posted by serenityseeker

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/05/pos...ion/index.html

It's also interesting how many of these are Co-sponsered by DEM and Rep members. Seems like the outrage loses a little credibility at this point.

And on these earmarks we are all at fault. They have been placed in the legislation by two-year Congresspersons (many who have been in office 15-20-30-40 years) who we elect. How many have called their congressperson who is a sponsor/cosponsor for one of these earmarks and say WITHDRAW sponsorship and don't vote in favor of the bill?

As long as we don't make our opinions known to our congressperson, and more importantly don't vote for him/her again for failure to listen, then we get what we deserve - a congress which doesn't listen to us.

The 2010 elections are only 19 months away.....