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

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
5:12 pm

From Northjersey.com

Ellis, of the taxpayers group, said the bill includes significant amounts of spending on projects unrelated to Sandy recovery, including $200 million for an Amtrak project on its Northeast Corridor rail line and new funding for Housing and Urban Development projects. He said the bill moved through the Senate too fast for lawmakers to scrutinize its contents.

There has been about 20 posts, so far today, of the same chart of all the GOP Senators who were involved in the pork. The implication is that the GOP alone loaded up the relief bill with pork. Not true, as usual.

Point out to me which of them asked for Amtrak and HUD projects in the NE. Which GOP Senator asked for funding for the roof repair at the Smithsonian? All the Senators are pork absorbing creatures, not just the GOP.

Read an article on Ted Cruz today, who is new to the Senate and is hopped up on cutting spending. The author pointed out that he may stay the course for awhile, but he soon will get close to reelection time and he will have no chance, if he doesn’t bring home the bacon to Texas.

Sad, but true, our electorate votes on how much stuff they get.

Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed

January 4th, 2013
5:12 pm

I’m trying to figure out which sock puppet Uh Huh used to be before this current incarnation.

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
5:19 pm

Christie and lard in the same paragraph was a Freudian slip.

I’m not sure it is all lard, maybe gas, which would explain his frequent popping off at the mouth.

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
5:21 pm

Tiberius

Would that be the Trashman who cometh?

Scooter

January 4th, 2013
5:22 pm

And no American should have blind faith in politicians of either party.

Big Daddy

January 4th, 2013
5:24 pm

Wingfield

Let them play this weekend. Aesop, Tiberius/Barry, @@, Dusty and td will be who they are, but don’t allow those bad apples to ruin for all.

Big Daddy

January 4th, 2013
5:32 pm

Wasn’t too long ago the right was fawning all over Big Christie

bwhahahaha

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
5:34 pm

About time for Kyle to lock the gates cause his angry angry Con followers can’t stifle their frustrations and act civilized.

sigh……..

Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?

January 4th, 2013
5:34 pm

Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed

January 4th, 2013
5:12 pm
I’m trying to figure out which sock puppet Uh Huh used to be before this current incarnation.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

?????????????????????????????????????????????????

Huh?

Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?

January 4th, 2013
5:38 pm

@Big Daddy

January 4th, 2013
5:32 pm
Wasn’t too long ago the right was fawning all over Big Christie

bwhahahaha
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The CONS were kissing his fat lard behind and

wanted him to RUN agains OBAMA.

Now they HAVE TURN ON CHRISTE.

CONS ARE SELF DESTRUCTING.

They don’t even like THEMSELVELS.

They have been EATING TO MUCH PORK.

Kyle Wingfield

January 4th, 2013
5:38 pm

Oh, Finn, let’s not pretend that the vitriol only stems or flows from one side.

I’m going to give y’all a chance this weekend and leave comments open. If it doesn’t work, it might be a month or two before I reconsider.

So don’t screw it up!

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
5:40 pm

Kyle let the dogs out!

who who who who who who who

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
5:40 pm

I kinda like Gov. Christie. He doesn’t “beat around the bush”. It was his state that was suffering and he wanted help. I believe that’s a governor’s job

So he’s fat! At least his fat is not in his head which seems to be the location of many complainants here.

But you all mean well. Right? OOoweee I think I shall have some Mogen David and fruitcake left from Christmas. Make merry, mon amis , for another mighty moment of monumental spending.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
5:42 pm

RELEASE THE HOUNDS!!!!

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
5:42 pm

The Mall at Stonecrest has major debt issues that could leave it vulnerable to foreclosure.

They should use the Obama stimulus model, pass out some money so folks will have something to spend in the mall. That should increase revenue for the merchants. Maybe they can print some Stonecrest bucks, which are redeemable for merchandise.

Big Daddy

January 4th, 2013
5:42 pm

It is two sided but it is like a water trickle to a water fall

But thanks for putting faith in your right leaning fans.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
5:46 pm

Dusty,

I agree abit about Christy. I think he has a good heart and is pretty intelligent. I think he realized Romnay couldn’t beat Obama and so he didn’t pretend that it was going to happen.

It is Romnay, right? Maybe my vote didn’t count cause of a misspelling? Oh my.

Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?

January 4th, 2013
5:46 pm

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass

BILL TITLE: To temporarily increase the borrowing authority of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for carrying out the National Flood Insurance Program

Republicans 161 Yeas 67 Nays Oink Oink

Democratic 193 Yeas

JamVet

January 4th, 2013
5:49 pm

Dusty, some of your (presumably) non-obese but still swinish pals here don’t share your sentiments about the NJ governor.

If ANYBODY dares stand up to the GOP power brokers they are trash. (GOP first. America and Americans a distant second, right Rafe? LOL!)

Speaking of which, looks like the RINO Chuck Hagel will be the next SecDef.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
5:50 pm

Have a nice weekend, Kyle.

On my Girl Scout honor, I promise to be as good as gold (as always)..

I may be the only one but I promise. Sho’ nuff..

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
5:50 pm

Seems like it was only yesterday that JDW was pining for less guns in America, which he said would lower gun violence.

http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-shooting-spree-illustrates-global-gun-violence–190043649.html

While the United States has the highest per-person percentage of gun ownership in the world, according to Reuters, the Philippines has a much lower gun-ownership ratio. There are a mere 4.7 guns for every 100 Filipinos and there are 3.9 million privately licensed firearms in the Philippines. In the United States, there are 88.8 guns per 100 people and 270 million in the country, reports GunPolicy.org, a web site hosted by the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney.
Despite those numbers, the Philippines has a much higher gun-related homicide rate than the United States.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
5:59 pm

JamVet, swinish pals? Speak for yourself,buddy.

Nobody is more at home in the piggish mud than you and your pals.

Now go away. Kyle is trying to be nice and so am I.

Try that sometime..

Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America

January 4th, 2013
6:01 pm

Jamvet

Wrong again, GOP does not register on my priority list. Here it is

God, Family, Freedom, America, in that order. The first three are essential, the last depends on how it affects or impinges on the first three. Since you asked, Jammie!

barking frog

January 4th, 2013
6:07 pm

Dusty
I’m with you on the Mogen David(Concord Grape), I even mix it
half and half with Sprite Zero for a crisp sparkly taste, fruitcake
not so much, but I still like it occasionally.

Skip

January 4th, 2013
6:07 pm

What’s the over/under on this staying open? I think 10 pm would be fair.

Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes

January 4th, 2013
6:11 pm

What’s the over/under on this staying open?

I’ll take the over.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:14 pm

Yeah, let’s judge ourselves based on the Philippines and no other country.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:16 pm

I’m gonna draw a line at 6:45 in the PM tonight. WE can get them riled by then, or we ain’t sheeeeot.

getalife

January 4th, 2013
6:17 pm

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:17 pm

Finn,

So you misspelled Romnay. That’s OK. When you start writing OBOMBA, , I’ll wonder about the revelation. . Keep dropping ‘em.

Pizzaman

January 4th, 2013
6:17 pm

Both sides do it with impunity and we keep electing them. So who is really to blame?

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:18 pm

God, Family, Freedom, America, in that order.

Why not start with unicorns or fairies? Same difference.

Freedom before America? You can be free in Canada or France. What’s up with that?

barking frog

January 4th, 2013
6:19 pm

I would probably agree with Kyle on his opinion of Christie if
he had opined but since he didn’t I will say Christie damaged
his political future with the Republicans for little gain. Monday
would have been just as good for passage and could have
happened today without his meltdown but that being said
I think the Speaker wishes he had taken his call.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:20 pm

Romnay and Oblama.

Obama’s got problems out the wazoo but he is still a better bet for America than Romnay.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:22 pm

Tiberius probably wants to defund the Coast Guard since they aren’t military, right?

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:28 pm

Barking Frog,

I thought you only ate bugs. The Mogen David was a gift. The Claxton fruitcake was on sale.

I’m just errr….thrifty. Cheap sounds so plebeian!

Uh Huh.....The [Obama] administration does that? Huh?

January 4th, 2013
6:31 pm

@Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
January 4th, 2013
5:19 pm

@barking frog
January 4th, 2013
6:19 pm

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

CONS are FLIP FLOPPERS.

They love Chris Christe…….Then they hate Chris Christe

RNC 2012: Christie’s speech was better than the reviews it’s gotten
12:20 pm August 29, 2012, by Kyle Wingfield

TAMPA — The consensus around here seems to be that Chris Christie might have been Tuesday’s keynote speaker, But Christie delivered exactly what I expected, and was quite good at doing so.
But it had all the elements that remind us why Christie has become a conservative champion, and why 2012 is unlikely to be the high-water mark of his influence in the party.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

RNC 2012: Tuesday night thread – roll call, Ann Romney, Chris Christie
6:23 pm August 28, 2012, by Kyle Wingfield

Class of ‘98
August 28th, 2012
8:20 pm
Can’t wait for Chris Christie.

Tuck Bodi
August 28th, 2012
8:32 pm
I’m looking forward to Guv Christie talking about his alternative to ObamaCare.

I think Christie’s idea and plan is brilliant and don’t think it could come from a BETTER spokeperson! ChristieCares rocks!
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MAKE UP YOUR MINDS CONS.

LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM

barking frog

January 4th, 2013
6:32 pm

Dusty
Bugs are good, especially with MD20/20, thrifty is more booshwah…

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

January 4th, 2013
6:34 pm

Middle-class workers will take a bigger hit to their income proportionately than those earning between $200,000 and $500,000 under the new fiscal cliff deal, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Earners in the latter group will pay an average 1.3 percent more – or an additional $2,711 – in taxes this year, while workers making between $30,000 and $200,000 will see their paychecks shrink by as much as 1.7 percent – or up to $1,784 – the D.C.-based think tank reported.

Yep, that obozo, he’s a sharp one alright.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:36 pm

Finn, naughty and not nice,

Go stand in the corner. You are misbehaving. Don’t take it out on us that you only got a bag of coal for Christmas..

josef

January 4th, 2013
6:38 pm

I just thought I’d better drop in to wish one and all over here the best for the New Year…

Y’all be nice and don’t let our cretins send your cretins into a dither and cause you grief…

Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories

January 4th, 2013
6:39 pm

Just imagine all the dimwits next week staring at their shrunken paychecks going wha….wha….wha….happened. Eye ain’t rich?? Eye thought we wuz goin after dos people?? duh.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:41 pm

UH Huh

Speaking of minds as you did, have you had yours checked lately? I think your oil is a bit low.

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:43 pm

think your oil is a bit low.

Anyone notice in the original print of the Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man is holding a gun and not an axe?

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:45 pm

Just imagine all the dimwits next week staring at their shrunken paychecks going wha

Yeah, that’s what we libs will be feeling while Aesop and the other fast food workers will be going “What drop? $.05 cents? Ok”

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:47 pm

you only got a bag of coal for Christmas..

Well, I’m an atheist so I got nuthin. Only the kids get stuff cause they have yet to make their minds up about a religion.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:48 pm

JOSEF……HOW GOOD TO SEE YOU!!

Please stick around.. I’m off to eat dinner.

“Ours is not to do or die,

Ours is but to blog and cry”

Us crass cretins do create complexities. Do join us..

Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)

January 4th, 2013
6:48 pm

But my wife is an agnostic and she got a Lexus for Xmas. Go figure.

press release writer

January 4th, 2013
6:54 pm

If the mainstream media was non-partisan and committed to doing its job, the pork portions of the bill—like the $100 in new funding for the Head Start program, and millions for Alaska fisheries(!)—wouldn’t be there.

See http://www.pressreleasewriter.info later for a full analysis of the bill.

Dusty

January 4th, 2013
6:57 pm

Nanana, FINN

My children each got a BMW in their stocking!! Who’d a thought it??