A very interesting and enlightening article from Congressman Shadegg. However, it kind of like Pontious Pilate who washed his hands in a pail of water and noted wherein the wrongs against Jesus were concerned that his hands were clean. No where in the article is there an official objection or noted plan by the Honorable Congressman to rectify the situation.
Sooooooo, just what is the party, state and national, going to do about it? Obviously, the elected elite are only going to talk about it as they have for years. Stevens has been hung out to dry a couple to times, so what?
The answer us for the national party and the state parties to report on a regular basis the transgressions of our dearly beloved Republican elected and those who are more for power than the people to be exposed and for the party to clean their own house. I have noted in red my thoughts on the matter. It time to stop protecting and supporting, so called Republicans. (Are any from Arizona?)
Spending is the kind of thing the Republicans carry on about when talking about Democrats. For the same thing by a Republican is hypocrital, isn't it? And, who wants to vote for a hypocrite?
Jim
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To: Shadegg Friends
From: Congressman John Shadegg
________________________________
Washington Politicians Mortgage Our Future for Their Benefit
by Congressman John Shadegg
As they left town for Christmas, Congress (includes Republicans and Democrats) passed an unprecedented
end-of-the-year appropriations bill with billions in wasteful spending
designed principally to benefit incumbent Members of Congress.(includes Republicans and Democrats) This bill
includes thousands of self-serving Member-directed spending projects and
displays total disregard for both legislative process and the Constitution.
Though civics teaches that both Houses of Congress (includes Republicans and Democrats) must pass a bill before
it can be presented to the President for his signature to become law, this
did not happen. Instead the House, (includes Republicans and Democrats) fearful of political fallout, used
trickery (so, what was the trickery that could not be overcome?) so Members (includes Republicans and Democrats) could avoid voting on the actual bill as it passed the
Senate. A dangerous precedent.
The 3,417 page bill (34 pounds) was dropped (How? By whom?) barely 20 hours before final
consideration by the House. It included 9,170 Member-directed (includes Republicans and Democrats) spending
projects. Over 300 of these had never been made public, seen by
rank-and-file Members, or passed by either House. Combined with the 2,161
passed earlier, Members (What members? Who were the Republicans?) gave themselves a total of 11,331 self-serving
projects, costing Americans over $20 billion this year. During this
season of goodwill, this bill, and those who crammed it through Congress, (includes Republicans and Democrats)
showed none toward American taxpayers, their children, or grandchildren.
This legislation continues an embarrassing trend in government pork-barrel
spending, funneling untold billions into pet projects designed to re-elect
incumbents. (includes Republicans and Democrats) Most such projects are not requested, or even supported, by the
Departments obligated to deliver them. Many are outright corrupt -
directing funds to Members' (includes Republicans and Democrats) contributors, former staffers, and even family
members. The Democrat leadership promised to "make this the most honest,
ethical, and open Congress in history," yet under their guidance Members of
both parties continue brazenly using tax dollars to benefit themselves. ( How many tax dollars to beneift Republicans?)
Senator Ted Stevens (A Republican) matched his "Bridge to Nowhere" with $20 million for a
"Ferry to Nowhere" that appears to benefit his brother-in-law, and former
staffers Congressman Jim Clyburn, the Democrat Whip, obtained $229,000 for
the Drew Wellness Center, a physical fitness center where his daughter
works. In 2003, Clyburn obtained the $900,000 to construct the center.
Clyburn also obtained $3 million for a private charity associated with the
"James Clyburn Golf Center" he established at taxpayer expense in 2002. (Let's see, the $4,129,000 by Clyburn, a Democrat is still $15,872,000 short of the earmark by Stevens, a Republican.)
Charles Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee obtained
$1.95 million for a center bearing his name and bragged on the House Floor
that he deserved it. (Compared to the 20M by Stevens, the Republican?) The bill even restored the now infamous Hillary
Clinton-Chuck Schumer Woodstock museum.
Members (What Republican members) devote huge amounts of time to these projects and openly acknowledge
the funds are being used - not for the larger public good - but to ensure
incumbents' reelection. In a letter to Speaker Pelosi, the leader of a
prominent Congressional Member caucus complained that caucus Members weren't
receiving enough projects to ensure the reelection of its incumbents in
"highly contested races." At this rate, Members (includes Republicans and Democrats) will soon complain they
aren't receiving sufficient bribes to maintain their lifestyle.
While the short-term ramifications of Washington's corruption and fiscal
promiscuity are disturbing, the long-term consequences for our children and
grandchildren should give every American cause for serious concern. Because
Congress (Renenber, congress encompasses both party's, not just Nancy's.) chooses to spend far more than is collected in current taxes, the
government must borrow money to fund our largess.
And borrow we have, to the point where our current national debt is a
whopping $9.2 trillion dollars - or more accurately $9,193,315,468, 899.43
as of December 21, 2007. That translates to $30,323.94 of debt for every
man, woman, and child in America.
Who, exactly, is lending us all this money? Well, Japan has lent us $586
billion. We owe communist China $400 billion. Our "friends" in Saudi
Arabia and other oil producing nations have lent us $123 billion. And here
is the really bad news: they expect us to pay them back - with interest. In
fact, we paid $430 billion in interest on our debt last year alone.
Of course, current taxpayers are not going to pay anywhere close to all of
that debt - we can't possibly. So who will be stuck paying for our wasteful
and irresponsible spending? Today's wasteful and corrupt spending will be
tomorrow's obligation. Our children and grandchildren will be forced to
repay today's wasteful spending. Anyone who truly cares about the future of
their children and grandchildren must demand that Washington put an end to
this corrupt and economically disastrous practice. (How? That's why we elected Republicans!)
One recent survey put Congress's approval rating at eleven percent. (That includes elected Republicans.) Given the self-serving, wasteful conduct Congress continues to engage in, it is shocking the number is not lower.
There will be much celebration and back slapping in Washington this
Christmas as Members (includes Republicans and Democrats) congratulate themselves for a job well done. But I
suspect, as Americans learn once again that Members of Congress (includes Republicans and Democrats) devote more
energy to looking out for themselves than the nation's and our children's
well-being, Congressional approval ratings will sink ever further, and
deservedly so.
For more on Member-directed spending projects, see Congress Daily article
at:
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=weeklyreport-000002596442
PAID FOR BY JOHN SHADEGG'S FRIENDS
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