Reps. Hunter, Jenkins, Lance are CAGW’s April Porkers of the Month
Washington, D.C. - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named freshmen Representatives Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), and Leonard Lance (R-N.J.) as its April 2009 Porkers of the Month. The three members of Congress broke their signed earmark reform campaign pledges with CAGW’s lobbying arm, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW).
“Every year members of Congress betray the taxpayers’ trust by bloating the budget with earmarks, but this betrayal is particularly acute because these three representatives broke their signed campaign pledges just a few months after being sworn into the 111th Congress,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.
Specifically, the three pledged “not to request any earmarked funding or targeted tax benefit that does not serve a federal interest and/or have a federal nexus.” Contrary to this pledge, all three requested multiple earmarks in the FY 2010 appropriations bills that violated that plank of the ten-point pledge. The earmark requests are listed on the members’ websites, as required by recently passed earmark reforms.
To read all of CAGW's commemorative dedication to these Republican scalawags, click here.
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That irrepressible slob Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), was the deserving winner of CAGW's March "Porker of the Month" prize. Congratulations Barney, YOU CERTAINLY EARNED IT!!!
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ReplyDeleteHow is earmarking a betrayal of public trust? The rest of the budget, amounting to 1,000's of times more spending, is a betrayal of the constitution by affording the executive massive spending discretion. The representatives who attempt to recapture at least portions of the taxes the citizens get squeezed out of, are doing a very important job, and while not perfect, it's better than just passing money through with no discretion whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteTo John Sanzone: Based on CAGW's posting, CAGW awarded the 3 republicans "Porker of the Month", specifically because they had signed pledges "not to request any earmarked funding or targeted tax benefit that does not serve a federal interest and/or have a federal nexus..." "Contrary to this pledge, all three requested multiple earmarks in the FY 2010 appropriations bills that violated that plank of the ten-point pledge."
ReplyDeleteCertainly, in the scheme of things, the amounts are less than puny in comparison to the $1.8 trillion budget deficit Obama will run in FY 2010. I think the point is, if you are gonna pledge not to seek earmarks, then don't seek 'em.
Part of me (a small part to be sure) understands your reasoning John, nevertheless, each little pork earmark, when added to ALL the others, brings us to a ludicrous sum amounting to REAL money, or more accurately, REAL (and ultimately crippling) DEBT.