Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a single senator this year.
The Democratic presidential candidate’s staggering request comes at a time when Congress remains engaged in a heated debate over spending federal dollars on parochial projects.
It also has gained traction on the campaign trail. Presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), a longtime foe of earmarks, has called for eliminating what he dubs “wasteful Washington spending.” Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has spurned earmarks, seeking no funds for pet projects in the upcoming fiscal year.
Obama has released all the earmark requests he offered since being elected to the Senate in 2004, which totaled roughly $740 million over three years. Obama has also criticized Clinton for not disclosing her requests. Her office would not say how much she requested in previous years.
I know that most of Hillary's supporters are still rubbing their hands together in glee over the Reverend Wright debacle, but they may want to take a moment to really look at the candidate they are supporting.
To be fair, the Bush Administration has short-changed New York in every way for the past seven years. Earmarks are about the only way New York can get *any* money to fix its roads and bridges and infrastructure, and even with the earmarks, New York still gets far less money back from the U.S. government than it sends in taxes. You might whine that Hillary is playing politics here, but the Busheviks started it, Hillary is just being a good Senator for her constituents -- something which I hope she will be doing for a long, long time because as President she would be terrible.
ReplyDeleteFor your information badtux, I don't whine.
ReplyDeleteI simply state the facts in a knowledgeable, clear voice that reminds one of the great James Earl Jones.
At least that is the way it sounds in my head.