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:: 11.25.2003 ::
I think I'm going to puke
Last year the House of Representatives earmarked $896 million dollars for home-state (AKA pork-barrel) projects - including $1 million in the education budget earmarked for "The First Tee," a program to teach kids how to play golf (I am not kidding - read page 11 of the report). The sponsor of the earmark was that famous tax-cutting fiscal conservative Tom DeLay. Earmarking has soared since the Republicans took over the House in 1995 - running as the anti-pork party.
On the other hand, the local projects in districts represented by House Democrats will see none of the earmarked funds. Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio), who chairs the subcommittee that controls spending on education, health and jobs programs, recently stunned Democrats by announcing plans to reject every "earmarked" project they are seeking in the final, compromise version of the bill, which funds the departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor. Why? Because they voted against the bill (which passed by only 7 votes out of 423) in July.
42 of the nation's 50 poorest districts are represented by Democrats.
Found on Calpundit, noted on Atrios.
:: Deb 11:32 AM :: permalink ::
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