Democrats Ending Republican Reign of Pork Barrel Spending Sprees
Posted by on January 9, 2007 at 04:28 PM
Via WaPo:
The House voted last week to shine a spotlight into the murky world of import-tariff suspensions, a little-known form of special-interest legislation that has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.
The House overwhelmingly approved a bill that, for the first time, officially equates tariff suspensions with a better-known variety of legislative pork, the congressional earmark. The new rules require public disclosure of each measure's sponsor, purpose and cost whenever lawmakers slip one into legislation.
The rules also require that congressional sponsors identify each person or corporation "reasonably anticipated to benefit" from the breaks on import taxes.
The rules direct sponsoring lawmakers to certify that they and their spouses have no financial stake in the tax breaks, and they ban the practice of trading provisions for members' votes.
In one of the first official acts of the new Democratic majority, the House approved the rule changes 280 to 152. Some analysts predicted the changes would encourage increased scrutiny of a practice that, a Washington Post study found, often benefits large foreign-based corporations.
Nice to know the Republican-led Congress was keen on lining the pockets, not just of American corporations, but foreign businesses too, instead of looking out for the American taxpayer.
It's no wonder they got fired.
In fact. A GOPer said so himself, crazy Georgia Rep. Jack Kingston (the one who doesn't want to work more than a few days a week!):
"This should be one more lesson to my party: We were fired with cause. We got lazy, we got too cozy with K Street, and this is an example where flipping the majority cleans out the closet. I very reluctantly give kudos to the majority."
Comments (4) «
If they will give the common folk egual time with our elected officials as they do Lobbyst, I will be happy to tell them what I want and promise them my vote if they carry through, will you? Will the Lobbyst and leave their billfold in their pocket?
I only hope that Democrats continue to hold the high ground. I consider the GOP, that has worked so hard to make wealthy connected business and capitalist elists, as traitors to the principles of the USA.
The GOP has worked and spun every issue and legislation to the benefit of the rich.
The Democrats need to focus on improving the welfare of the middle class, and the first step must be to put the middle class issues first. That means putting a halt to illegal immigration now.
freeforall,
I like the point you make. Maybe there should be a House and Senate rule saying each Rep must spend at least as much time with ordinary citizens who have a a beef with something as they do with lobbyists.
Why can't they set aside a certain amount of time a week to appointments with citizens in their district that need help or want to have their voice heard of a specific topic?
Democrats will have to rise to the occasion and author tough legislation to move America forward.
Porkbarrel spending could be arrested in its' tracks through legislation that demands an end to conflict-of-interest:
a) Our so-called "civil servants" should relinquish their positions as board members and
b) Majority shareholders of certain company /industry portfolios should NOT be permitted to draft legislation or entertain those lobbyists connected with that entity.
c) Perhaps a cap needs to be imposed.
Unfortunately Dems are just as beholding to special interests.
Regarding Kingston's comment - he's pathetic and representative of government complacency. However, his Democratic challenger, James Nelson was no better. He changed several of his positions to "buy votes" and flatly refused to pay his staff a number of times! All of this from a man with Revereend in front of his name - double talk . . .
The games have to stop. The marketing of those games have to stop. Americans MUST reunite in an effort to control their destiny.
There should be an outcry to investigate (and prosecute) the OSP faction who planned the strategy to invade Iraq in an effort to destabilize OPEC. Big Oil, the co-conspirator with opposite interests, should be forced to pay to rebuild Iraq: afterall, it is their desire to limit production to force prices skyward. Grover Norquist et al should be hung out to dry for their involvement in rewriting Iraq's tax/patent laws. Grover's first concern: selling off all state owned resources - the infamous privatization of Iraq's assets.
All of you need to pick up Greg Palast's book entitled Armed Madhouse, for a concise account of the Bush White House dealings. The authors provides photocopies of documents to verify and support his position -
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