05-16-2010, 11:43 PM | #1 (permalink) |
immoral minority
Location: Back in Ohio
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The current GOP might have the start of a good idea...
Eric Cantor || Republican Whip || YouCut
The only reason I say it's a start is that there is a lot of other earmarks and tax cuts that I'm sure the American public wouldn't go for. They could expand this to a lot of different government angencies as well. Yet, there is a reason that having the government spend some money is a good thing, and if this becomes a fiscal witch-hunt, it might not work out too well. |
05-17-2010, 12:15 AM | #2 (permalink) | |
Crazy, indeed
Location: the ether
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Quote:
So in other words, everything in there is meaningless. It is a political strategy to sound tough without having to do anything. To really cut spending would require to cut medicare, social security and the military, but guess what, that is unpopular. |
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05-17-2010, 06:07 AM | #3 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Fort Worth, TX
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Great idea I think. I have little faith in the execution of it, but it's finally an idea I like.
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05-17-2010, 06:34 AM | #4 (permalink) | |
Crazy, indeed
Location: the ether
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Quote:
Again, all those programs he lists in that site are less than a tenth of a percent of the budget. Earmarks are less than 2% of the budget. This is like a candidate running on a platform of being tough on crime by promising he will end jaywalking. Or saying that he will promote education by promising to give a pencil to each kid. So until a Republican runs on cutting medicare, social security or the military, this is just a marketing campaign. Republicans might end up spending more on promoting this youcut site than what some of the programs listed there might cost. |
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05-18-2010, 10:19 PM | #5 (permalink) | |
Somnabulist
Location: corner of No and Where
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Quote:
Total spending: A breakdown of other spending: Within that last graph, maybe 4-5% or so is earmarks. Both parties go after earmarks, and that's mostly cool because a lot of them are wasteful, but let's be honest: it's more a stalling tactic or a campaign line than any sort of meaningful government reform.
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05-19-2010, 10:39 AM | #6 (permalink) |
Degenerate
Location: San Marvelous
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Wasteful spending is only a small part of the earmark problem. The problem of earmarks is a problem of bribery, vote-buying, and ongoing political corruption. Earmark projects are typically buried within unrelated legislation to keep the spending hidden from the general public. Politicians use earmarks to reward supporters and enrich themselves. The real cost of an individual earmark goes way beyond the dollar figure reported in legislation. The real cost is political corruption that is destroying the public trust in government.
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Tags |
current, good, gop, idea, start |
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