Defense Bill Larded Up With Earmarks

http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/2297-Defense-Bill-Larded-Up-With-Earmarks-

Republicans took over the House on promises to cut pork spending and eliminate earmarks. But according to Donna Casatta at the Associated Press, some of the Republican House freshmen whose elections were premised on these promises are now pushing additions to the Defense Authorization bill that are designed to direct federal funds to corporations and defense interests in their districts. “The additions look suspiciously like the pet projects that Republicans prohibited when they took over the House and that the new class of lawmakers, many with tea party backing, swore off in a promise to change Washington’s spending habits,” writes Casatta.

For example, Rep. Robert Schilling won an amendment directing money to a weapons company in his district ::

A provision added to Obama’s budget request would provide another $2.5 million for weapons and munitions advanced technology, money for the Quad City Manufacturing Lab at the Rock Island Arsenal in freshman Rep. Bobby Schilling’s Illinois district. The lab conducts research and development on titanium, lightweight composites and other advanced materials.

“Through this legislation, we were able to pave the way for more public-private partnerships at RIA that will increase the workload, keep skills sharp and promote jobs,” Schilling, who was born and raised in Rock Island, said in a statement. “These policies will help protect our war fighters abroad and help us prosper economically at home. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the hard-working men and women at the Rock Island Arsenal,”


More at the link --

please. :eyes:

And I said the same thing. Since when did "troops" become "war fighters"? This is a ridiculous term that should be completely banned from our national vocabulary. The term means that our military serves no other purpose than waging war.

I'm still waiting for the "man bites dog" version--a defense budget NOT full of earmarked pork.

:shrug:

only minor changes in the players.


This snip is two years old, but it gives an idea of how hopey/changey has turned into ‘business as usual

<snip>White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, said yesterday that President Obama will sign the $410 billion omnibus spending bill recently passed by the Democratic controlled Congress. The bill contains some 9,000 earmarks, spending items inserted by individual Congressmen for pet projects in their districts. When he signs the bill, Obama will violate a promise he made on the campaign trail to reduce the number of earmarks, or pork projects, in legislation. More at link>

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/03/02/obama-to-break-campaign-promise-sign-earmark-laden-spending-bil/

This one reinforces the first one - the names and players change, but the game continues as before.

Obama's promise to go after earmarks 'line by line'
By Bill Adair
Published on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 at 3:49 p.m.


During the presidential campaign, earmark reform was a major theme for John McCain, who often highlighted projects of other candidates that he considered wasteful. During the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, 2008, Barack Obama said he had stopped requesting earmarks as a senator and that he shared McCain's desire for earmark reform and the elimination of wasteful projects.

McCain noted that Obama had made $932 million in earmark requests during his first three years as a senator and he criticized Obama for saying earmarks accounted for "only $18 billion" in federal spending. <more at link>

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/mar/03/obamas-promise-go-after-earmarks-line-line/


Oh, and GITMO is still open, too.

All these earmarks will pass. It’s the way things are.