War on Earmarks is Largely Symbolic
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvK7P9fR8BY[/youtube]
John Kyl tells us all how the repubs play their low information base:
KYL: It is true that the question of earmarks is more symbolic than it is significant in terms of the total amount of money. But if he combines that with the notion of ending wasteful Washington spending…And so if addition to earmarks, which are relatively small, you begin to focus on not just raising taxes but to reducing spending here and there, that is a big deal.
McCain has said that he can rid the budget of $100 million in earmarks, even though the 2008 appropriations bills has about $20 billion of earmarks included. But at the risk of burying the lead here, it looks to me that not only is Kyl admitting that ridding the budget of earmarks makes dent in nothing, he is also talking about raising taxes. Wonder who gets to pay those?
And note how he admits they use poll-driven language:
“The reason that I use it is because the consultants who look at the polls tell us that if there’s anything that drives American taxpayers crazy it’s that phrase ‘wasteful Washington spending,’” he admitted. “They hate it.”
Even though most folks can’t name one non-mandatory program they’d eliminate that would put a serious dent in the deficit (and lets define serious dent at 10% reduction. And none of them will name any of the gigantic tax subsidies provided to business or farms. But they are listening to McCain make the same promises that the GOPers have been making since BushCo started running; even though McCain certainly didn’t object to the wholesale transfer of tax dollars to their friends.
h/t Think Progress
Tags: Republican Bamboozlement
Obama’s line in reponse to the transparent McCain camp lies regarding earmarks is “American’s are not stupid.”
But I don’t seen much evidence to support that statement in the results of the past two national elections.
Senator McCain had no dog in the Boeing Boondoggle fight. This sucker deal would lease an overpriced and underperforming tanker to the USAF.
Those who would take the ‘pork uber alles’ approach to procurment in this deal include Representative McDermott, Emmanual, and Dick. With Boeing’s corporate headquarters being in Chicago, perhaps a game of ‘running out the clock’ until there is an Obama Adminstration may seem like a practical game plan.
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I kind of think running on earmark reform is a strange strategy. I know they aren’t really popular, unless it’s for your community. I guess it’s sort of like approval ratings for Congress – you hate Congress in general, but your guy/gal is o.k.
you hate Congress in general, but your guy/gal is o.k.
Some may feel that way. Before escaping Maryland, I had to hold my nose and vote for Wayne Gilchrest every November. I did not ‘hate’ him but found him most unimpressive when speaking with him. Politics is the art of the possible and the General Election opponent was always worse.
How many (outside of DE residents) even know the name of their representative? How many have written or spoken with any elected official?