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Old 03-11-2009, 03:32 PM
 
Location: Home, Home on the Front Range
25,826 posts, read 20,622,459 times
Reputation: 14818

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Quote:
Originally Posted by bentlebee View Post
Whatever they might think about Bush..everyday that passes it will look more stupid to even mention Bush his name....I guess Obama likes to be "Carter", so he can battle for who is the worst president in history and how fast can I become the worst president.....I have to agree Obama is winning this one ...if it wasn't so sad I would even think it is funny!
Indeed, as time passes it will look even more stupid to mention 'Bush' when talking about 'presidents.'
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Old 03-11-2009, 03:40 PM
 
48,505 posts, read 96,589,733 times
Reputation: 18303
Guidelines are liie a wish that will never come true. Congress either has to have rules guided by law or they will keepup the practice. If a presdient doesn't have the guts to not sign a bill taht is loaded with era-marks he can forget it.
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Old 03-11-2009, 04:05 PM
 
Location: T or C New Mexico
2,600 posts, read 2,315,521 times
Reputation: 607
again, to bash someone who is gone now, bush vetoed less bills that came across his desk than any president before him. shocking, ain't it?
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Old 03-11-2009, 08:05 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
11,301 posts, read 16,602,399 times
Reputation: 13291
Default Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill, Announces Earmark Reforms

Just wait, Obama is making Bush look like a cheap SOB.

Obama is spending like there's no tomorrow...Maybe there isn't
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill, Announces Earmark Reforms
The president did not make any pledge to eliminate earmarks or reduce them. Rather, he and House Democrats announced new reforms to subject them to greater scrutiny and transparency.

Obama on Wednesday signed a $410 billion spending bill to keep the government running through the end of the fiscal year, despite complaints that the package was filled with thousands of earmarks.

The president earlier defended the bill, which he called "imperfect" but necessary. But at the same time he announced new reforms he said would prevent wasteful earmarks in the future.

The president did not make any pledge to eliminate earmarks or reduce them. Rather, he and House Democrats announced new reforms to subject them to greater scrutiny and transparency.

"Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their district, and that's why I have opposed their outright elimination," Obama said. "But the fact is that on occasion, earmarks have been used as a vehicle for waste, and fraud and abuse. Projects have been inserted at the 11th hour, without review, and sometimes without merit, in order to satisfy the political or personal agendas of a given legislator, rather than the public interest."

Obama said the reforms would require lawmakers seeking earmarks to post them on their Web sites in advance, so the public and press can review them. He said each earmark should be "open to scrutiny" at public hearings.

"If my administration evaluates an earmark and determines that it has no legitimate public purpose, we will seek to eliminate it," Obama said.

He also said all earmarks for for-profit companies should be subject to competitive bidding requirements.

"The awarding of earmarks to private companies is the single most corrupting element of this practice," Obama said.

The announcement came after Congress passed the $410 billion spending package Tuesday night. Taxpayers for Common Sense estimated the package contained 8,570 disclosed earmarks worth $7.7 billion.

"I am signing an imperfect omnibus bill because it's necessary for the ongoing functions of government," Obama said, adding that he would use it as a "departure point" for enacting new reforms.

He did not respond to a question asking why was not signing the spending bill in public.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who opposed the earmarks in the bill, criticized his former election opponent Wednesday for not pledging to "use his veto pen" to stop pork-barrel projects.

"The president's rhetoric is impressive, but his statement affirms we will continue to do business as usual in Washington regarding earmarks in appropriations legislation," he said in a written statement. "This is an opportunity missed."

The 1,132-page bill has an extraordinary reach, wrapping together nine spending bills to fund the annual operating budgets of every Cabinet department except Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. Among the many earmarks are $485,000 for a boarding school for at-risk native students in western Alaska and $1.2 million for Helen Keller International so the nonprofit can provide eyeglasses to students with poor vision.

Most of the government has been running on a stopgap funding bill set to expire at midnight Wednesday. Refusing to sign the newly completed spending bill would force Congress to pass another bill to keep the lights on come Thursday or else shut down the massive federal government.

The $410 billion bill includes significant increases in food aid for the poor, energy research and other programs. It was supposed to have been completed last fall, but Democrats opted against election-year battles with Republicans and former President George W. Bush.

The measure was a top priority for Democratic leaders, who praised it for numerous increases denied by Bush. It once enjoyed support from Republicans.

But the bill ran into an unexpected political hailstorm in Congress after Obama's spending-heavy economic stimulus bill and his 2010 budget plan, which forecast a $1.8 trillion deficit for the current budget year.

The bill's big increases -- among them a 14 percent boost for a popular program that feeds infants and poor women and a 10 percent increase for housing vouchers for the poor -- represent a clear win for Democrats who spent most of the past decade battling with Bush over money for domestic programs. Republicans, though, had called on Obama to veto the measure.
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Old 03-11-2009, 09:38 PM
 
17,468 posts, read 12,885,968 times
Reputation: 6763
Quote:
Originally Posted by Who?Me?! View Post
"""Give banks money with no rules or regulations this was...... STUPID"""

Yup. Paulson, BUSH'S BOY in the BUSH administration did just that!
Exactly..............And Mr. Obama followed right behind. So much for not going to be like the Bush Administration!!!
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Old 03-11-2009, 09:39 PM
 
20,187 posts, read 23,774,380 times
Reputation: 9283
I do have to disagree with the "earmarks" in the spending bill. I am against all earmarks but it seems that some of these earmarks are also from Republicans... it is hypocritical of the Republicans to denounce the earmarks when they put so many of it in there... the democrats make no apologies to the earmarks and defend it... both of the parties make me sick... I will be waiting to hear how Obama plans to curb earmark spending and he should know, he has authored some of them before... I suggest Obama consult McCain considering legislation against earmarks since that was what the McCain party focused on.... seems like, if anyone in Congress, he would have a good idea on how to approach it... but we will see...
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Old 03-11-2009, 09:40 PM
 
4,104 posts, read 5,296,198 times
Reputation: 1256
IF
This bill is continuation of Bush's budget
IF
Democrats place all blame for current economic crisis on policies and budgets of Bush
IF
Obama signs this budget (when he could veto it)
THEN
Current crisis is Obama's fault, as his signature is defacto acceptance of Bush's budget.

He could have sent it back and at least gained a little respect from the Right.
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Old 03-11-2009, 10:03 PM
 
17,468 posts, read 12,885,968 times
Reputation: 6763
President Obama ran his campiagn on "NO EARMARKS" ................Obama attacks Palin on earmarks, ignores own record | You Decide Politics

Obama unleashed this tirade against Palin’s claims that she can bring some kind of change, and the choice is clear.
Obama then opened up rare criticism on VP nominee Sarah Palin, “I know the governor of Alaska has been, you know, saying she is change. And that is great. She is a skillful politician. But when you been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you are the champion anti-earmark person. That is not change, come on. I mean, words mean something. You can’t just make stuff up. You can't just make stuff up. We have a choice to make.



Who's running the show Obama or Pelosi............Trouble in paradise: Democratic House leaders cool to Obama's earmark reform -- read full text here | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times.................................................. ..

And today, minutes before Obama laid out his proposals to reform the earmark process, House leaders were offering recommendations of their own in an effort to deflect his.
Meanwhile, Pelosi and her chief deputy, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), have made clear to Team Obama that Congress, not the White House, will decide how to write its spending bills, thank you very much. In an interview with reporters last week, Hoyer said:
I don't think the White House has the ability to tell us what to do. I hope you all got that down.
Maybe the honeymoon is over.
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Old 03-11-2009, 11:11 PM
 
21,026 posts, read 22,092,805 times
Reputation: 5941
Quote:
Originally Posted by evilnewbie View Post
I do have to disagree with the "earmarks" in the spending bill. I am against all earmarks but it seems that some of these earmarks are also from Republicans... it is hypocritical of the Republicans to denounce the earmarks when they put so many of it in there... the democrats make no apologies to the earmarks and defend it... both of the parties make me sick... I will be waiting to hear how Obama plans to curb earmark spending and he should know, he has authored some of them before... I suggest Obama consult McCain considering legislation against earmarks since that was what the McCain party focused on.... seems like, if anyone in Congress, he would have a good idea on how to approach it... but we will see...
Earmarks are not an evil thing created by Obama...and used, as you say by Republlicans, too!

Earmarks are part of most legislation...they HAVE to be . If every single request was a bill on it's own government would shut down, be bogged down. That's why Obama doesn't want to eliminate them , just, very wisely, evaluate and control them. Nothing wrong with that.


The rest of the OP was great! Go Obama!!!!!
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Old 03-11-2009, 11:14 PM
 
Location: Chicago Suburbs
3,199 posts, read 4,305,178 times
Reputation: 1176
Just check you brain at the door, suspend logic and believe in the healing power of the "earmark".
Zennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
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