About the hold-up in the Sandy relief bill/pork-fest
Liberals’ new favorite Republican is Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor who this week slammed House Republicans for delaying action on a bill with aid for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. (They’ll be back to hating him the next time he goes on an anti-union rant or some such.) As I’ve said before, the real problem lies with those who lard up such bills with extra spending because they know those pet projects have a better chance of passing when attached to such an urgent measure.
Apparently that can be clear even to a politician in the storm-ravaged area, as long as that politician is not a moderate Republican running for re-election in a blue state. From Politicker.com:
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who previously declined to slam House Speaker John Boehner over Congress’ stalled Hurricane Sandy aid, took his argument to the next level this morning and suggested federal lawmakers are partially to blame for the delay in the vote on the package because they insert “things that are totally extraneous” into bills such as this. Although Mr. Bloomberg didn’t specify the extraneous problem items, the legislation has been criticized by Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan for being “packed with funding for unrelated items, such as commercial fisheries in American Samoa and roof repair of museums in Washington, D.C.”
“There’s this ‘Christmas Tree effect’ where legislators put in their favorite bills and tack them onto something. The [Obama] administration does that, that’s why you have an omnibus bill — to force everybody to vote for things that would never stand up in the light of day if they were individual,” Mr. Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show with John Gambling. “I’m sympathetic. Yelling and screaming at [Mr. Boehner] is just not my style. It may be effective, it may not be. Everybody’s got to make their own decisions. I think the legislative leaders who criticize and those in the Legislature should stop and think, they do exactly the same thing in terms of ladling on things that are totally extraneous but it’s the only way they get them through.”
Exactly. Those who help wreck the legislative process shouldn’t complain when they find the legislative process is a wreck.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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686 comments Add your comment
JDW
January 4th, 2013
2:12 pm
@Towncrier…”There are no Congressional “requirements” for pork I am aware of. So the “system” can be changed overnight if so desired.”
Sure all you have to do is get 538 elected officials to stop negotiating with each other. Want to take any bets on how that is going to work out without new laws/regulations?
That Black Guy
January 4th, 2013
2:12 pm
JamVet
January 4th, 2013
2:09 pm
Whining TBG, please remember your very own post when you run over to Jay’s and show JamVet where he has written that “The neocons over at Kyle’s never want to debate the topic/issue.”
Take your time, Master Debater…
____________________________________________________
Namecalling, Jam?
Ok, Jam. Have a Great Weekend.
President Romney
January 4th, 2013
2:15 pm
Black Guy
Do right leaning bloggers call names on this blog and over at Bookman’s? Seems it is a problem on both sides with no “monopolies” to be found.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 4th, 2013
2:19 pm
“That’s a far right-wing lie to justify the cruelty they’re inflicting on victims of the storm in NY and NJ.”
Please, Lynnie Gal, define what “cruelty” is being inflicted on victims of this storm by the government of the United States.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 4th, 2013
2:27 pm
It’s true that Katrina was handled much better than Sandy has been.
Who knows, maybe we had an actual president around when Katrina struck?
Towncrier
January 4th, 2013
2:28 pm
“Sure all you have to do is get 538 elected officials to stop negotiating with each other. Want to take any bets on how that is going to work out without new laws/regulations?”
So…let me understand this. When, by comparison, you propose to take you family out to see a movie, you receive dozens of additional proposals to do other things as well and do not wind up going unless 1) you take two members of your family to a restaurant beforehand 2) you buy large tubs if popcorn and drinks for the other tow members or your family at the theater 3) you fill up the gas tank as the Exxon station on 5th and Broadway 4) you buy lottery tickets for everyone 5) you stop by Aunt Betty’s house to pet her dog 6) you have the car washed when you get gas and so on.
You don’t simply say “Let’s see a show of hands for who wants to go to a movie”, followed by “”Let’s see a show of hands for who wants to go to a restaurant beforehand” and so on.
Hmmm? Is that it?
Kyle Wingfield
January 4th, 2013
2:28 pm
JDW @ 1:52: As CBO has said, the vast majority of the money won’t be spent anytime soon anyway. There’s no reason Congress can’t pass what is truly needed now and debate the rest later. You’ve fallen for the EMERGENCYEMERGENCYWEHAVETOPASSITALLNOW claptrap.
Towncrier
January 4th, 2013
2:29 pm
“Please, Lynnie Gal, define what “cruelty” is being inflicted on victims of this storm by the government of the United States.”
They are not buying them $300,000.00 replacement homes and giving them a lifetime annuity. What’s wrong with you, anyway?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 4th, 2013
2:30 pm
Aesop, I don’t think either President has done well at storm disaster relief.
I just think that the lens was focused far more critically on President Bush rather than current President Incompetent.
JamVet
January 4th, 2013
2:32 pm
Lying, TBG?
Back at your great weekend!
alex
January 4th, 2013
2:55 pm
Having lived thru 2 hurricanes and watching Christie pontificate 24 hours after the event that things were going well, i came to think of this guy as a severe political hack and full of crap ( and anything caloric). For those of you who haven’t been thru one , it takes several days to understand the impact of a hurricane. Christies an idiot and should muzzle himself…
td
January 4th, 2013
3:02 pm
If we do not stop the debt at 100% of GDP then how much higher does it have to be before we have to get it under control?
Now for you progressives that believes the President that Congress should take care of the obligations they spent. Congress does not set all eligibility requirements for such programs as SSI, FS, TANF and other entitlement programs. They give broad guidelines and then the executive branch writes the rules and actual requirements. When the executive branch writes the rules in such a way that we go from 10% to 20% of the population is not eligible to receive FS and Medicaid in just 4 years when unemployment only went up from 5% to 10% then how can this not be a budget problem on the executive branch? Many other examples can be given in other areas as well.
Now I think the HOR’s need to grow a pair and actually come up with a plan and pass
JDW
January 4th, 2013
3:03 pm
@Kyle…”You’ve fallen for the EMERGENCYEMERGENCYWEHAVETOPASSITALLNOW claptrap.”
No I have not fallen for anything. It is simple, we have a disaster relief/preparedness problem. Some of the needs are immediate some are not but all however they are all problems…well 95% of it anyway. Washington, mainly due to the Party of No can’t get a damn thing done without a sense of urgency. So if one must be manufactured to solve this problem and move on to the next one so be it.
Now if you want well reasoned mostly prudent legislation then the Party of No needs to stop with the soundbytes and do some work for a change. Think I am being one sided…take a look at the recent so call fiscal cliff debacle and then check out the looming debt ceiling battle…a battle to pay the bills Congress has already incurred mind you.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 4th, 2013
3:06 pm
Christies an idiot and should muzzle himself…
Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 4th, 2013
3:07 pm
“Some of the needs are immediate some are not but all however they are all problems”
Really? What are the “immediate” needs in disaster relief that the Federal government is responsible for, JDW?
MarkV
January 4th, 2013
3:09 pm
This appears such a simple issue, and one might have expected a nonpartisan response. There appears to be plenty of “pork” from both parties in the original bill and in this specific case, I agree that the non-emergency projects should not have been attached to the emergency ones. On the other hand, the idea of debating each project (such as those on the list in this original bill) and voting on them separately is naïve and unworkable. (Towncrier@ 1:34 pm” “Why, oh why in the world, cannot those in Congress just draft and vote on singular items of legislation?”)
td
January 4th, 2013
3:11 pm
JDW
January 4th, 2013
3:03 pm
@Kyle…”You’ve fallen for the EMERGENCYEMERGENCYWEHAVETOPASSITALLNOW claptrap.”
No I have not fallen for anything. It is simple, we have a disaster relief/preparedness problem. Some of the needs are immediate some are not but all however they are all problems…
False argument my friend because the President has the authority to redirect money from any executive branch department to cover a true emergency while Congress allocates the funds.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 4th, 2013
3:26 pm
I’m sure that none of us are surprised with JDW using a false argument, are we?
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
January 4th, 2013
3:27 pm
…a battle to pay the bills Congress has already incurred mind you.
Not exactly true again, JDW, the US Govt has more than enough cash/revenue coming in to fund the debt. No chance we would default, this is just Democrat alarmist rhetoric. We don’t have enough to pay on the debt and 100% fund the daily operation of the government, but if we pared it back to say, what 2008 levels, we would be close. Obama wants the debt ceiling raised not for the reason he says, to pay for the programs Congress has already passed, but to continue with the deficit spending.
If he was told, he could write another Exec Order, never create another program, or never increase government spending again, I think he would just trudge off to the golf course and play several rounds per day until his term expired. He has no desire/interest in actually governing what he is responsible for today, he just wants to expand and grow government, IMO.
Don't Tread
January 4th, 2013
3:29 pm
“So if one must be manufactured to solve this problem and move on to the next one so be it.”
Or in other words, “the end justifies the means”. I guess that’s why Democrats are good at manufacturing “problems” and then solving them with other people’s money and/or attacking other people’s rights.
Towncrier
January 4th, 2013
3:33 pm
“On the other hand, the idea of debating each project (such as those on the list in this original bill) and voting on them separately is naïve and unworkable. (Towncrier@ 1:34 pm” “Why, oh why in the world, cannot those in Congress just draft and vote on singular items of legislation?”)”
And just how is the alternative working out? Hmmm?
Jefferson
January 4th, 2013
3:36 pm
Kyle You are right, I figured you lived in a red zone. BTW I’m not augueing or debating, nor do I plan to.
Centrist
January 4th, 2013
3:37 pm
Finn McCool posted: “the Senate and White House will be running the country and the House will be consulted only when it is mandatory that they be.”
Just when we were starting to agree on some things, somehow you think the Senate has some exclusive power that the House doesn’t have. The president has executive orders, and regulations (and self serving interpretations of them) can be promulgated by various agencies unless Congress reverses or restricts them – but legislation requires the president’s signature on bills passed by the Senate and the House. During March, this especially includes increasing the debt ceiling and substitute legislation for automatic sequestration already set by legislative law.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
January 4th, 2013
3:38 pm
Democrats are good at manufacturing “problems” and then solving them with other people’s money and/or attacking other people’s rights.
Robert and Mary Schindler say, “What?”
Michael H. Smith
January 4th, 2013
3:43 pm
You’ve fallen for the EMERGENCYEMERGENCYWEHAVETOPASSITALLNOW claptrap
Your usual socialist liberal blog audience is incapable of objective thought Kyle.
Just Saying..
January 4th, 2013
3:45 pm
“…but if they refuse to engage the GOP-controlled House, they still won’t get anything passed.”
As in, for example, the just-passed fiscal cliff bill all these posts are lamenting?
Da Plane
January 4th, 2013
3:48 pm
Rafe
Were you a character on Fantasy Island? You post so many “ifs”……. “if this”, “if that”
Is it the talk radio, right wing whack site or what?
If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, everyday would be Christmas………
Get out of talk radio fantasy land………..
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 4th, 2013
3:56 pm
JDW is the poster girl for situational beliefs. Yesterday the bill had to pass NOW and it was purely storm relief. Now that its passed its a Republican porkfest.
Whatever it takes for her to vent her derision for Real Americans and to defend her Putz Prezbo.
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
3:56 pm
When the President need to get things done, he call on Vice President Joe “pit bull” Biden…
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
4:07 pm
The Johnny “one note” Boehner led House Republicans have been removed from all debt/deficit negotiations… The Democrat controlled Senate and the White House will be handling all debt/deficit talks from this point forward… President Obama attempted to negotiate with Boehner and the Republican House members, but he discovered to his shugrin that none of them had the minimum intellectual necessities needed to negotiate…
MarkV
January 4th, 2013
4:28 pm
“And just how is the alternative working out? Hmmm?”
Better than the suggested alternative.
@@
January 4th, 2013
4:33 pm
There’s urgent and then not urgent. With legislators everything is urgent even when it’s not. Dems, in particular, like to pull on America’s heartstrings while in reality they’re just yanking our chains….bring us to heel.
It was Congressman Howard Buffett (Nebraska 1948) and Warren’s Dad, who had this to say about our hallowed holes:
Today Congress is constantly besieged by minority groups seeking benefits from the public treasury. Often these groups control enough votes in many Congressional districts to change the outcome of elections. And so Congressmen find it difficult to persuade themselves not to give in to pressure groups. With no bad immediate consequence it becomes expedient to accede to a spending demand. The Treasury is seemingly inexhaustible. Besides the unorganized taxpayers back home may not notice this particular expenditure — and so it goes.
out….the money that is.
td
January 4th, 2013
4:35 pm
ANN COULTER: Why, as that man just said, why aren’t we getting names of recently paroled criminals? People with gun permits, by definition, do not criminal records. Why can’t we get the criminal records? No, you can’t get that. Why can’t we get a record of women who have had abortions? They get money from Planned Parenthood, they get money from Medicare, from Medicaid. They’re tax subsidies. I think, you know, mothers might want to know what other women on their street might be willing to murder a child.
Just have to love it when the hypocrisy of the left is brought into full view.
Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?
January 4th, 2013
4:36 pm
There are the culprits…where is the outrage KYLE?
UH HUH
Jefferson Sessions – (R – AL)
Richard Shelby – (R – AL)
Cochran, Thad – (R – MS)
Wicker, Roger F. – (R – MS)
Cornyn, John – (R – TX)
Hutchison, Kay Bailey – (R – TX)
Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA)
Vitter, David – (R – LA)
Michael
January 4th, 2013
4:36 pm
Christie does need to be careful because if you try to be a voice of reason in a sea of insanity the TP and Grover and Demint will whack your knees.
Georgia
January 4th, 2013
4:39 pm
Kyle expects the commenters on his blog to read his piece before commenting? Now that’s a fantasy that never has happened, nor never could happen. Same over at Jay’s. The commenters are here to valid their own existence every few minutes with expressions of superiority over the other commenters. Period.
Pork attached to legislation? Lets see, how old is the country? That’s how long pork barrels have been around. So what? If our politicians couldn’t delay vital legislation by adding ridiculous pork projects, then what good is being a corrupt tyrant like Boehner et al?
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
4:39 pm
The House Republicans are regional bigots… They’re discriminating against the victims of hurricane sandy, most of whom are Republican voters… Congress passed flood relief aid, laden down with pork for victims of hurricane Katrina in just 12 days… The victims of hurricane sandy have been waiting for more than two months and then the Boehner led Republicans shortshift them by passing a measly $9.7 billion aid package… The House Republicans will be pushed aside and ignored …
Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?
January 4th, 2013
4:41 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout – OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 4th, 2013
3:56 pm
JDW is the poster girl for situational beliefs. Yesterday the bill had to pass NOW and it was purely storm relief. Now that its passed its a Republican porkfest.
Whatever it takes for her to vent her derision for Real Americans and to defend her Putz Prezbo.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Real Americans JUST GOT CAUGHT with their
HANDS in the Pork Jar.
These are the culprits…where is the outrage KYLE?
UH HUH
Jefferson Sessions – (R – AL)
Richard Shelby – (R – AL)
Cochran, Thad – (R – MS)
Wicker, Roger F. – (R – MS)
Cornyn, John – (R – TX)
Hutchison, Kay Bailey – (R – TX)
Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA)
Vitter, David – (R – LA)
Uh Huh
@@
January 4th, 2013
4:41 pm
Christie’s mouth is as big as his lardazz.
That ^^^ or something similar to ^^^ that is what the left was saying about Christie back when…
I guess they’re looking for a leader since theirs has been MIA for four years.
schnirt
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
January 4th, 2013
4:43 pm
IF Da Plane had a brain, he would not drink quite so much Koolaid. IF we had a less ideologically driven and more qualified President, we would not have the most sluggish economic “recovery” in modern history. IF people made better decisions in their life, there would be less need for so many Government programs. IF people actually used their brains to select politicians instead of voting for what benefited their pocketbooks, America would be a better place. IF Government did not waste so much of our money, Government would have more money to “invest” in their programs.
Imagine/IF is a great word, at least John Lennon thought so.
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
4:47 pm
@ td ===> Master of the false analogy… Apples and oranges…
td
January 4th, 2013
4:49 pm
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
4:47 pm
@ td ===> Master of the false analogy… Apples and oranges…
Privacy is privacy and it is either protected or it is not.
Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?
January 4th, 2013
4:50 pm
@Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
January 4th, 2013
4:43 pm
IF Da Plane had a brain, he would not drink quite so much Koolaid. IF we had a less ideologically driven and more qualified President, we would not have the most sluggish economic “recovery” in modern history. IF people made better decisions in their life, there would be less need for so many Government programs. IF people actually used their brains to select politicians instead of voting for what benefited their pocketbooks, America would be a better place. IF Government did not waste so much of our money, Government would have more money to “invest” in their programs.
Imagine/IF is a great word, at least John Lennon thought so.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“IF” CONS stop EATING PORK they’d ALL BE HEALTHY.
These are the sandy relief/porkfest culprits…where is the outrage RAFE?
Jefferson Sessions – (R – AL)
Richard Shelby – (R – AL)
Cochran, Thad – (R – MS)
Wicker, Roger F. – (R – MS)
Cornyn, John – (R – TX)
Hutchison, Kay Bailey – (R – TX)
Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA)
Vitter, David – (R – LA)
Oink Oink
ODD OWL
January 4th, 2013
4:51 pm
If “if” “and” and “buts” were money, we would all be rich…
Centrist
January 4th, 2013
4:55 pm
Just Saying..posted a quote and comment: “ ‘…but if they refuse to engage the GOP-controlled House, they still won’t get anything passed.’
As in, for example, the just-passed fiscal cliff bill all these posts are lamenting?”
Very different because legislation in place had taxes increasing for all taxpayers. The President, Senate, and House agreed to cut those automatic tax increases for all taxpayers earning less than $450K/yr (and not renewing the temporary halt to a third Social Security tax).
In March, no more borrowing to cover the deficit can take place, and automatic domestic and defense sequestration of funding happen. The President, Senate, and House will have to agree to terms to increase the debt ceiling and replace the automatic sequestration with more targeted spending cuts. Both of our GA Senators who voted for the tax change are siding with the rest of the Congressional delegation who opposed it, plan to use the March deadlines to cut government spending.
yuzeyurbrane
January 4th, 2013
4:58 pm
I’m glad we didn’t have pork laden emergency aid legislation after Katrina and the tornados in Tuscaloosa hit. Must not have been since they passed in about 10 days compared to over 60 and counting for Sandy. I did hear one cynic say the Republicans were punishing Christy for his election disloyalty. He should have his mouth washed out. Such a callous political act would never be taken by TeaPartycans.
td
January 4th, 2013
5:06 pm
yuzeyurbrane
January 4th, 2013
4:58 pm
You do know a bill was passed today?
Dusty
January 4th, 2013
5:07 pm
Oh yawn, the same ol’stuff day after day. Some of you only read Kyle’s comments so you can disagree with him
Kyle quite accurately described what slowed the Hurricane relief bill. It was “Sneak a pork” cost adding attachments that stalled the relief measure. We all know that.
Are we totally dependent on the government? We are not supposed to be. We are supposed to be FREE, INDEPENDENT citizens who value self reliance. That is part of freedom..
This so called fiasco has made one thing clear. Congress and the president BETTER be looking at every single government expense before they add more to the deficit. Even these “Emergency Room” storm procedures must be examined . NO EXCUSES.
So (to our leaders) #1–thanks for checking out the expense & extravagances in this bill. #2–Move it!! .
@@
January 4th, 2013
5:10 pm
‘Ya know…if Christie can’t see the pigs for the pork, maybe he should back away from the slop bucket. If he needs to call somebody out, why not call ‘em all out?
sooieeeeeeeeee
On this one he’s coming across as willfully uninformed.
Levondia
January 4th, 2013
5:12 pm
“…the real problem lies with those who lard up such bills…”
Kyle I’m guessing that mentioning Christie and lard in the same paragraph was a Freudian slip.