McCaskill takes GOP to task on earmarks
McCaskill
WASHINGTON –Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., brought a dual attack on earmarks this afternoon: a resolution to cut down on the practice and a verbal lashing on the Senate floor of GOP leaders who embrace them.
McCaskill, poking a pencil at the podium as she spoke, said she couldn’t understand Republicans who criticized the stimulus package for being weighed down with earmarks then sponsor earmarks themselves on the giant omnibus spending bill under consideration.
“Every single member of Republican leadership has earmarks in this bill,” McCaskill said. “Every single one of these people rejected the stimulus … because supposedly they were so upset about wasteful spending.”
At one point, McCaskill made a veiled criticism of her fellow Missouri senator, Christopher S. “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., saying there are some who argue that bureaucrats should not decide where spending goes. This has been a common argument made by Bond, a major supporter of earmarks.
“This notion that bureaucrats are doing the decision making — we have the power to tell the bureaucrats how to spend the money,” McCaskill said.
“This notion that somehow we need to do earmarks because the bureaucrats are going to run amok, I don’t get it,” she added.
Bond saw little difference in McCaskill’s logic and the current way of doing things.
“When Congress tells bureaucrats how to spend money — that’s earmarking,” Bond said in an e-mail through his spokeswoman, Shana Marchio. “The bottom line is that I trust local leaders to set priorities in Missouri, not Washington bureaucrats.”
McCaskill’s resolution to limit earmarks would:
- Require earmarks to be included as text in all bills rather than added late in the process;
- Make it law that bills with earmarks to be posted online within 2 days of introduction;
- Expand the authority of individual senators to challenge earmarks;
- Allow earmarks only on public projects.
We need more in office with the common sense and decency and compassion of McCaskill, then this government would become a better place.
Walker, you are a fool. This is purely a political stunt. This lady voted for 800 billion in pet spending. She can afford to be “upset” with earmarks now, they already have 800 billion worth.
By the way Claire, Are there any democrat earmarks in this bill? Look inside your own party, bimbo. There are plenty of earmarks there as well, hypocrite.
Is the Post ever going to tell folks about McCaskill’s off shore tax avoidance? Worth millions…
Didn’t think so…
Ma “Kettle” McCaskill taking the GOP to task on earmarks. Me too! along with the Democrats at 60% earmarks and GOP at 40%. You’re all crooks! Congress should be let go for a lack of thought!
Seems like its time for the states to have checks & balances on the federal government. You know, a body that represented the states’ interest, and could say NO to the feds? Why didn’t the framers of the Constitution create this?
Oh, wait… they did. It was called the Senate.
Time to repeal the 17th Amendment. Way PAST time.
As a famous Missourian, Mark Twain once said, “Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”
It appears that many of the Republican entrants into the fray of civil discourse (and I use the term “civil discourse”in the broadest terms) have selective memories.
The multiple and varied crisis we find ourselves in is a creation of 8 years of mismanagement under the Bush Administration and a predominantly Republican Congress.
As John Adams said, “Facts are stubborn things.”
Here are the facts, Senator McCaskill:
Your party voted for 60% of the earmarks in the Omnibus Spending Bill. You conveniently left that out of your comments. Why do you suppose that is?
The deficit is now $7 trillion and climbing. It is estimated, according to the POTUS proposed budget to be double that, $15 trillion, by 2011. How do you intend to stop that?
If you believe in B.O.’s “Non-Partisan” approach and “reaching across the aisle,” then you should attack, equally, members of both parties. I have seen nothing to indicate you are in support of ANY reaching across the aisle.
I am certain you are counting on most voters to have a short memory. Senator, 2012 is not that far away. In polticial terms it is almost here. Most everyone is focusing on 2010, but do you hear those footsteps coming up behind you?
danmxx
my memory tells me 02′ thru 06′ where some darn good years for everyone. Does your memory tell you which party took over congress in 06′? As far as the current congress/white house CHANGE..Only from bad to worse!
McCaskill needs to pay attention to her own Part first. Her President promised, as a presidential candidate, and beyond, that he ‘would end earmarks” That Bozo will be signing his own budget in the next week or so and it has 9000 earmarks in it……..Hey, Bozo, use your veto….he McCaskill, tell the President to veto that bloated, insane spending spree.
This is a perfect example of just how out of touch McCaskill really is. She thinks she has a future in a Democratic Administration…..she does, some democratic dog catcher office in outstate MO. What a political hack, carrying water for Obama