Ok, someone please explain to me how this is remotely a good idea

#1
lawgator1

lawgator1

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#1
Trump endorses return of earmarks as House GOP weighs change

Earmarks. Boehner killed them and I thought everyone had come to realize that pet projects, for contributors back home, is the ultimate in fraud. Boehner said in his own campaign that if you want to elect someone to go rob the Treasury to bring back money just for us, vote for someone else.

How on Earth can people like Trump and Graham talk about draining the swamp when earmarks are the very definition of corruption on fiscal matters. I am worried this has some connection to infrastructure. Pretty outrageous.
 
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#2
#2
lawgator1 said:
Trump endorses return of earmarks as House GOP weighs change

Earmarks. Boehner killed them and I thought everyone had come to realize that pet projects, for contributors back home, is the ultimate in fraud. Boehner said in his own campaign that if you want to elect someone to go rob the Treasury to bring back money just for us, vote for someone else.

How on Earth can people like Trump and Graham talk about draining the swamp when earmarks are the very definition of corruption on fiscal matters. I am worried this has some connection to infrastructure. Pretty outrageous.
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Kinda like shovel ready projects that were nothing a money grab
 
#3
#3
Do you start a thread with every thought that pops into your head? Good grief.
 
#5
#5
This really should not be a partisan issue.

Ryan is against it. Any responsible or fiscally conservative lawmaker would agree.
 
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#6
#6
lawgator1 said:
This really should not be a partisan issue.

Ryan is against it. Any responsible or fiscally conservative lawmaker would agree.
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Shouldn't be a partisan issue, but the first thing you do is single out Trump and Graham and completely ignore the fact many Democrats have supported them over the years.
 
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#7
#7
Grand Vol said:
Shouldn't be a partisan issue, but the first thing you do is single out Trump and Graham and completely ignore the fact many Democrats have supported them over the years.
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They're making valid points.
Attaching pork barrel projects to a bill that on it's face seems necessary has typically been the height of political corruption.
However, regardless of the ban, it's been proceeding.


Pork barrel spending on the rise in Congress, watchdog group says - The Washington Post
 
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#11
#11
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#12
#12
Septic said:
Obama didn't run on a platform of stopping this sht.

This is one of the swampiest things a politician can do.
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continuing the work of his predecessor? I would agree.

Every politician runs on a throne of lies. every one talks about cleaning up Washington. it never happens because there is too much money to be made.
 
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#13
#13
LouderVol said:
continuing the work of his predecessor? I would agree.

Every politician runs on a throne of lies. every one talks about cleaning up Washington. it never happens because there is too much money to be made.
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Rly? So the trumpers are just going to shrug and say "oh well, politicians gonna lie." Wasn't he hired by the people to put a stop to just this sort of tomfuqery?

Wouldn't that make them as feckless as they claim the liberals are?
 
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#14
#14
Septic said:
Rly? So the trumpers are just going to shrug and say "oh well, politicians gonna lie." Wasn't he hired by the people to put a stop to just this sort of tomfuqery?

Wouldn't that make them as feckless as they claim the liberals are?
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As long as the line item veto is still in effect, such things can be controlled. But when you have a Congress that's the same party as the President, it does make it far easier to be abused.

Earmarks aren't always a bad thing if the situation necessitates getting something through quickly AND the need is valid for said earmark.
 
#16
#16
Septic said:
Rly? So the trumpers are just going to shrug and say "oh well, politicians gonna lie." Wasn't he hired by the people to put a stop to just this sort of tomfuqery?

Wouldn't that make them as feckless as they claim the liberals are?
Click to expand...

Pro tip: Most sane people understand that campaign promises are just for show at best. It is politics after all.
 
#17
#17
Septic said:
Rly? So the trumpers are just going to shrug and say "oh well, politicians gonna lie." Wasn't he hired by the people to put a stop to just this sort of tomfuqery?

Wouldn't that make them as feckless as they claim the liberals are?
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yes. which is why I have been railing against the two party system for so long. they are the same. both suck. trump sucks. he shouldn't be our president, even without being guilty of collusion with Russia. yet here we are and people are fighting to defend the system that gave us Trump.
 
#18
#18
Trump is a pragmatist - when we had earmarks Congress was more likely to cooperate.

It'd be great if it weren't the case but it is the nature of the beast.

I'm not a fan of the idea but I understand why he threw it out.
 
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#19
#19
lawgator1 said:
Trump endorses return of earmarks as House GOP weighs change

Earmarks. Boehner killed them and I thought everyone had come to realize that pet projects, for contributors back home, is the ultimate in fraud. Boehner said in his own campaign that if you want to elect someone to go rob the Treasury to bring back money just for us, vote for someone else.

How on Earth can people like Trump and Graham talk about draining the swamp when earmarks are the very definition of corruption on fiscal matters. I am worried this has some connection to infrastructure. Pretty outrageous.
Click to expand...

Campaign to drain swamp. Doesn't drain. Builds dykes around swamp to fill it with more swamp water.

I honestly don't know how anyone has ANY faith in the corrupticrats.
 
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#20
#20
volinbham said:
Trump is a pragmatist - when we had earmarks Congress was more likely to cooperate.

It'd be great if it weren't the case but it is the nature of the beast.

I'm not a fan of the idea but I understand why he threw it out.
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To whatever extent Obama and Dems did it, as cited above, I am very critical of it and of them.

I understand what you are saying re Trump, but its basically bribery. If my policy idea isn't good enough to win you and your constituents over, I will cut a deal with you whereby you get to go back home and say you got somebody there a big pile of money (no doubt someone who contributes heavily to our campaigns).

Ryan is right to oppose this, wherever it is coming from.
 
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#21
#21
FLVOL_79 said:
Pro tip: Most sane people understand that campaign promises are just for show at best. It is politics after all.
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So you're capitulating that he built his entire platform on a throne of lies? And, that's cool...?

Hell, we could have had a lying, self serving, moderately less embarrassing potus in H Clinton. If this pillar of his campaign promise is so easily brushed aside, where again is the high ground for the trumpers?
 
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#23
#23
Grand Vol said:
As long as the line item veto is still in effect, such things can be controlled. But when you have a Congress that's the same party as the President, it does make it far easier to be abused.

Earmarks aren't always a bad thing if the situation necessitates getting something through quickly AND the need is valid for said earmark.
Click to expand...

100% always bad. If it's that damn important then give it its own bill.
 
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#25
#25
I agree they are bad in principle but we have over 200 years of historical precedent that this happens and is how legislation gets passed. Fun to complain about and dream about the perfect world but...
 
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