Redstate

I don't even know what to say. Seems fiscal conservatives like myself just can't win. I'd normally be upset with this news, but it's just business as usual it seems.

Yeah right, when hell freezes over, they'll get a check from me. This is despicable, in your face, we don't give a damn what you think behavior by the Congress and specifically the Republicans. I can't wait to hear what Boehner and Cole have to say about their agenda to win in November, talk about two ineffective so called leaders. The GOP is so void of leadership at this point, there's nothing anyone can say or do that will change the outcome in November until some of these culprits are ousted out of office. Until I see some new faces in the GOP leadership that are really making an impact, they can go swim in quick sand.

Some day when you're all designing Contract with America II, do you think you could propose a constitutional amendment to say that all bills enacted going forward must have a declared scope and that any provisions added outside this scope will not take effect. I'm thinking along how the "Ultra vires" concept applies to company law.

The idea would need a lot of kicking around but the principal should appeal - if you want to add a provision to pay for free beer for the 256th ward, you cant' attach it to the next defence/crime/whatever bill, but need to propose it as the "Free Beer to get Rep Porky Reelected Act".

And despite the fact that this kind of behavior brought about annihilation in the 2006 midterms, Republicans have decided to happily partake in the pork-barreling

Playing devil's advocate here---there have to be quite a few GOP-led Congressional districts whose constituents either approve of, or aren't too upset by, pork.

Otherwise, why are these GOP Congresscritters doing this? I mean, if pork-barreling is indeed political suicide, they why are so many of our folks doing it.

I hate to say it, but apparently millions of GOP voters want their congresscritters to bring them some bacon, too.

"Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?" (Macaulay)

For most people they don't see pork as a problem, because they don't put 2 and 2 together and see that they are paying for it. They go wow my city got new schools and a new park, that has nothing to do with my taxes going up.

The Dems know how to play the game too here, they add a something for GIs knowing Bush needs to Veto it or that Republicans need to vote against it, then they can say, look the Republicans are against the troops. One day maybe we'll call their bluff, force them to put a fake 2 Trillion Dollar war bill up thinking Bush will veto it and then vote it in for real. That or just have someone come out and finally tell people every stupid piece of pork being put into bills and how much its costing everyone.

If people want to vote for port they're eventually going to do it right and vote for someone that belives the government should fund everything i.e. a Democrat.

Pork spending isn't good for the GOP.