Of Obama and earmarks........

[skadistic]

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/favorfactory/lawmaker.php?id=S4IL00180

I though Obama was above this? I thought he was change? I thought he was hope?

But it gets worse. Since Obama is just like the others guess what happens?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25007385

More than 11,000 of those "earmarks," worth nearly $15 billion in all, were slipped into legislation telling the government where to spend taxpayers' money this year, keeping the issue at the center of Washington's culture of money, influence and politics. Now comes an election-year encore.

Discuss earmarks and pork. Or Obama.


Black Jesus
Obamaid

 

[emzie]

You're upset over 3.3m of earmarks out of 15b(.2%?)

edit: .02% actually, out of 535 lawmakers.

edit 2: and not all earmarks are bad. I'd say those 3 are quite good.

 

[skadistic]

You're upset over 3.3m of earmarks out of 15b(.2%?)

No I'm upset about all the earmarks. Just pointing out Black Jesus isn't change or hope but actually more of the same.

 

[potatokiosk]

You're upset over 3.3m of earmarks out of 15b(.2%?)

edit: .02% actually, out of 535 lawmakers.

Well there are 535 members,
100% / 535 = .18%
so Obama is contributing his share.

Edit: nevermind, it's less than his share, and he's a senator for that matter.

 

[El_Machinae]

Skadistic: can we compare McCain's and Obama's promises when it comes to earmarks? I think McCain either intends to veto all earmarked bills or to create a line-item veto. Both:

What's Obama's promised policy, then?

You're upset over 3.3m of earmarks out of 15b(.2%?)

edit: .02% actually, out of 535 lawmakers.

edit 2: and not all earmarks are bad. I'd say those 3 are quite good.

I guess that's exceedingly below the per capita share.
And how much did McCain earmark?

 

[emzie]

No I'm upset about all the earmarks. Just pointing out Black Jesus isn't change or hope but actually more of the same.

Could you find me a quote where Obama said he was 100% against earmarks?

I guess that's exceedingly below the per capita share.
And how much did McCain earmark?

Actually, none according to that site. Ron Paul had none as well. Clinton had over 100m

 

[skadistic]

You're upset over 3.3m of earmarks out of 15b(.2%?)

edit: .02% actually, out of 535 lawmakers.

edit 2: and not all earmarks are bad. I'd say those 3 are quite good.

Damn your edits. Some earmarks are good. But look less good when recipients of said earmarks are contributors to you campaign. Just more of the same and not change.

 

[skadistic]

Could you find me a quote where Obama said he was 100% against earmarks?



Actually, none according to that site. Ron Paul had none as well. Clinton had over 100m

I can* quote where he said he was hope and change. Just not change enough to not take contributions and then get earmarks for those people.




( *can does not mean will)

 

[potatokiosk]

I think this whole thread is kind of pointless. Yeah, Obama's not perfect, but there'll never be a perfect president.

 

[skadistic]

Skadistic: can we compare McCain's and Obama's promises when it comes to earmarks? I think McCain either intends to veto all earmarked bills or to create a line-item veto. Both:

What's Obama's promised policy, then?



I guess that's exceedingly below the per capita share.
And how much did McCain earmark?

Do you have McCains? I'll be more then happy to call him more of the same too. But he isn't going for the hope and change spiel is he? Actually is he? I don't know what his BS hook is. Its not the "straight talk express" still is it?

 

[Neomega]

McCain voted for and supports a war that wastes a hell of a lot more than 3.3 Million.... a day!

 

[skadistic]

I think this whole thread is kind of pointless. Yeah, Obama's not perfect, but there'll never be a perfect president.

Its not about perfect. Its about change. And he isn't change. He is more of the same.

 

[El_Machinae]

He's going to have a lot of political capital when he's elected, so the winning strategy is to find a policy of his and push for it to get passed before things get tied up. Your rep is going to want to successfully pass some measures, so help get the good ones passed before the infighting starts up again.

 

[emzie]

I can* quote where he said he was hope and change. Just not change enough to not take contributions and then get earmarks for those people.

Pointing that out would have had more impact!

Two of the three earmarks are to Universities. The third was from a company that gave 500 to Obama's campaign. I really don't think that earmark was bought. If 500 to 2 Senators can get someone a $1.3m grant, then something is majorly messed up in the US.

 

[skadistic]

McCain voted for and supports a war that wastes a hell of a lot more than 3.3 Million.... a day!

Is that an earmark?


Did Obama vote to continue funding the war?

 

[potatokiosk]

Its not about perfect. Its about change. And he isn't change. He is more of the same.

Less of something is a change...

 

[skadistic]

Pointing that out would have had more impact!

Thats what the whole first link was for.

Two of the three earmarks are to Universities. The third was from a company that gave 500 to Obama's campaign. I really don't think that earmark was bought. If 500 to 2 Senators can get someone a $1.3m grant, then something is majorly messed up in the US.

Just look at all those special interests that donated. Like Northorpe, GE, GM. HESS, Lockheed, Boeing. How many of those are defense industries?

 

[Bill3000]

Just look at all those special interests that donated. Like Northorpe, GE, GM. HESS, Lockheed, Boeing. How many of those are defense industries?

If I'm reading the site right, it seems to be that those are special interests that received earmarks that had given money to the legislator; the earmarks given are not necessarily by that legislator.

 

[potatokiosk]

According to the site, McCain has no earmarks... I'm glad both of the candidates are pretty clean.

 

[El_Machinae]

Its not the "straight talk express" still is it?

I like the Straight Talk Express, really. I find that the man tends to speak his mind. Sometimes it makes him look dumber than if he had obfuscated or refused to answer, but when you notice a politician obfuscating, it's even worse.

I'd much rather a politician who refused to answer a question (since he didn't know the answer and needed to ask his expert) than one who just gave an opinion on a topic he was ignorant on. McCain's "I don't know what the best lending rate is" is a damn site better answer than Bush's "I think both sides [Intelligent Design and Evolution] should be taught to kids".

It's a bit tougher when he's wrong on a topic he's supposed to be an expert in. The "Al Qaeada/Iran" mixup really made me sad.