Earmarks have been demonized and made the focus of conservatives and especially members of the Tea Party. I'm of two minds. First there are earmarks the Representatives add to bills that are needed and necessary, such as military needs. I support these earmarks as long as they are transparent - who, what and cost - and as long as they are posted on the internet for Americans to read.
It's the surreptitious earmarks that are slipped into big bills that have nothing to do with the bill. Mostly these earmarks are for projects in a Congressman's district. Using a random bill to "bribe" voters to re-elect him.Remember the "Road to Nowhere?" In this case I support eliminating these earmarks. If you believe something that is in the best interest of your district, there's no need to hide it. However, instead of eliminating earmarks altogether, Congress needs to consider them item by item. This would allow the voters to weigh in and there would finally be accountability to the voters.
Who, what, why and how much. Sounds like a good battle cry.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Hope For Change
Remember during the 2008 election Barack Obama's battle cry was "hope and change." It's turned out that while a lot of change has happened much has left us with little hope. That is, of course, before the mid-term elections last week. The Republican party picked up over 60 House seats and 6 Senate seats. Democrats still hold the majority in the Senate, but they can't quite run roughshod over the other side of the aisle because they will need Republican support to pass bills.
Ah, and there's the rub. For too long have Republicans compromised with Democrats without reciprocation. The Republicans who were running for the first time and winning offered a new "hope and change." Finally we have representatives in Congress who have listened to the American people and promised change. Democrats were thrown out because they had the arrogance to tell us that they know what is best for us. The people disagreed. The health care bill was pushed through in the middle of the night which will gut the best medical system in the world. 70% of Americans were against it, yet they didn't listen. The people were against the $800 billion stimulus to bail out banks and takeover GM. And there again Congress ignored us. No wonder there had to be a Tea Party. And no wonder they went out and found candidates who would listen and act on behalf the people.
And so we elected these young, conservative men and women who have pledged to hear what the people are saying. They have promised hope FOR change. But let it be said that these new elected officials are on probation. If we don't see the changes they'll be thrown out as well. If I was a long-time Congressman who holds on to the status quo I'd be shaking in my boots.
Ah, and there's the rub. For too long have Republicans compromised with Democrats without reciprocation. The Republicans who were running for the first time and winning offered a new "hope and change." Finally we have representatives in Congress who have listened to the American people and promised change. Democrats were thrown out because they had the arrogance to tell us that they know what is best for us. The people disagreed. The health care bill was pushed through in the middle of the night which will gut the best medical system in the world. 70% of Americans were against it, yet they didn't listen. The people were against the $800 billion stimulus to bail out banks and takeover GM. And there again Congress ignored us. No wonder there had to be a Tea Party. And no wonder they went out and found candidates who would listen and act on behalf the people.
And so we elected these young, conservative men and women who have pledged to hear what the people are saying. They have promised hope FOR change. But let it be said that these new elected officials are on probation. If we don't see the changes they'll be thrown out as well. If I was a long-time Congressman who holds on to the status quo I'd be shaking in my boots.