Did anyone notice this article on Friday — where Senator Carper is committing to working for continued funding of the deepening dredge of the Delaware while the US Government is getting ready (prioritizing projects) for the cutbacks required by the sequester. And can I remind you that Senator Carper voted FOR said sequester?
Is this theater or is this serious? Frankly, I should be surprised that this reporter didn’t ask Senator Carper why he is in favor of continuing to spend money on this project while he is so busy trying to have his concern for reining in government spending seen in every corner of the land. No doubt this deepening project is important locally — at least the boosters of the PA ports see an opportunity to compete for larger ships — but Senator Carper needs to remember that he is a fan of reining in spending. Especially spending on Social Security which doesn’t add a penny to the deficit or debt until 2028 or so. While this deepening project certainly won’t be paying for itself anytime soon. You’d think that he would be grateful for opportunities to save the government money — except that Senator Carper is the poster boy of the deficit hawks. He is interested in projects that help to benefit his business special interest groups, but not interested in making sure programs of interest to the people he has asked to vote for him routinely are at all made safe to deliver on their longstanding promises.
If you see the Senator any time soon — ask him about this. Ask him why he is so quick to spend more government money on a project with little chance of paying for itself and against the minor work it would take to stop destabilizing Social Security.