Reprinted from The Constitutional Conservative blog.
They just can’t help themselves when it comes to stuffing pork in any and all bills, with both new waste, and renewals of old waste. Is it any wonder these bozos aren’t trusted, and Congress has single-digit approval ratings? The only bipartisan agreement comes on stuffing pork and earmarks at every opportunity — the one thing both parties agree on. Disgusting — and at 451 pages long, what are the odds any of the Senators actually reading the bill?
New Tax earmarks in Bailout bill
- Film and Television Productions (Sec. 502)
- Wooden Arrows designed for use by children (Sec. 503)
- 6 page package of earmarks for litigants in the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident, Alaska (Sec. 504)
Tax earmark “extenders” in the bailout bill.
- Virgin Island and Puerto Rican Rum (Section 308)
- American Samoa (Sec. 309)
- Mine Rescue Teams (Sec. 310)
- Mine Safety Equipment (Sec. 311)
- Domestic Production Activities in Puerto Rico (Sec. 312)
- Indian Tribes (Sec. 314, 315)
- Railroads (Sec. 316)
- Auto Racing Tracks (317)
- District of Columbia (Sec. 322)
- Wool Research (Sec. 325)
What does ANY of that have to do with saving the economy? It doesn’t. Of course, this isn’t the final bill, but which is more likely — Congress will do the right thing and strip this pork from the bill, or to guarantee its passage they’ll load it up with even more pork earmarks?
Obama supports pork and earmarks, but here’s a chance for McCain to take a stand and — at the very least — make a speech proclaiming all these earmarks, and who they’re from. It’s unlikely the Senate won’t pass this pork-fest, but at least McCain could be on record.
Let’s hope the House doesn’t pass the pork-fest as well, and the House Republicans don’t knuckle under to pressure and demand the earmarks be removed, as well as protecting taxpayers from paying the $700 billion of the bill. They have the right idea — loans not bailouts. Let’s hope the House remembers it’s backbone and opposes this disaster (which will likely be laden with even more pork by the time the Senate passes it).
From Politico.com.
With each permutation, the bill has steadily grown in size. Treasury’s initial plan was about three pages long. The House version, which failed, stretched to 110. The Senate substitute now runs over 450 pages. And tucked away in the tax provisions is a landmark health care provision demanding that insurance companies provide coverage for mental health treatment—such as hospitalization—on parity with physical illnesses.
Really a bill onto itself, the mental health parity measure has been a bipartisan priority for top lawmakers in both chambers but has stalled because of disagreements again over how to pay for its estimated $3.8 billion five-year cost. In the current climate, that seems to be no longer a stumbling block, and if the Treasury plan becomes law, it will also.
line item veto
i am so upset by the pork that was added to this bill. what happended to the Presidents line item veto. my tax dollars used for bows and arrows, sale tax rebate for the state of nevada, i could loose my house if i loose my job. ive emptied my savings to pay my bills in the last eight months what are they going to do to us next?
CONGRESS, BOTH HOUSES, ALL PARTIES
To call this a pork laden bill is an
absolute insult to all pigs. Pigs have
more class, are more intelligent, are
cleaner and a lot more honest than
the Idiots that pretend to represent
the American People in Congress today.
The time has come, if "IT" is in office now,
vote against it ... every one of them. Lets
replace them all. When the election rolls
around again and we see no change, then
vote them out again. We'll just keep doing it until THEY get right.
It is way past time for term limits. A term should be 4 years with a maximum of 2 terms
in either House or Senate. No retirement, other than Social Security (after age 67), and their Medical benefits will be paid out of Medicare only for the time spent in office. After that, go purchase it on the open market just like the rest of us.
We should continue to modify the above plan until the Pig Pen in DC is clean. And my
apologies the the Pig for comparing it to the representatives in DC.
Tom
Porkie Bill
Although I am concerned about these provisions I am more concerned about the insertion of the 5th Marxist [communist] proposal in the bill that effectively make Banks federal agents.
-W
www.eclecticwill.com
www.eclecticwill.com/2008/10/the-communist-700-billion-bailout-and-the-e...
Bailout bill
I think there should be a list of the senator's name and state who put in any PORK. We don't need these people in Congress. They are idiots to put such crap in a bill that is suppose to help bailout the economy.Who needs wooden arrows designed for children. They should not be using them anyway.These idiots need to be out of the Senate.!!!!!!
When will the main stream
When will the main stream media expose all of the pork. Maby if the congress and the senators were exposed they would fear their jobs. Maby a huge list just before this years elections. THE FRONT PAGES OF ALL NEWS PAPERS AND THE INTERNET!!!
Where is the "unbiased" media
I agree! Why aren't the American people provided with a list of these "pork" bills, who introduced them, and who voted for them. I'd put money on they were all from one political party.
Shame on those who call themselves journalists who work in the political arena for not reporting some facts. Do they think the public is a bunch of "Bozos"?