How laws are made.
Posted on 12/18/2007 10:13:11 AM PST by NormsRevenge
(CNSNews.com) - What can you say about a 3,500-page appropriations bill that stands more than a foot tall? Nothing good, according to Republicans. But Democrats are spinning the spending bill as a step in their much-talked-about "New Direction."
House Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri said the bill is full of "misguided" policy decisions: "On one page, for instance, you will find a set of new restrictions on the construction of our security fence along the border; on another, $10 million in 'emergency' funding for attorneys of illegal immigrants.
"Along with those, you'll even find language gutting a Senate-passed provision encouraging English in the workplace. And as we continue to cull through the text, that may prove to be just the tip of the iceberg," Blunt complained.
Most lawmakers haven't had time to read the massive spending bill, which House Democrats crafted in secret and released late Sunday. The $515-billion appropriations bill will fund government operations for the fiscal year that began in October.
Instead of passing 13 individual spending bills as it is supposed to do, Congress ended up passing only one. It combined the other 12 into one big "omnibus" bundle. The Senate will take up that omnibus bill on Tuesday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hailed passage of the catch-all measure as a positive thing, saying it would end "seven years of failed Bush Administration economic policies that are out of touch with the concerns of the American people."
Pelosi said the Democrats' budget "begins to set us in a New Direction by investing in health care and medical research, education from K-12 to college students, law enforcement and Homeland Security, and renewable energy. These are the priorities of the American people," Pelosi said.
However, the Democrats' bill does not including funding for the Iraq war, which they insist is not a priority for the American people. The Senate is expected to add Iraq war funding by amendment on Tuesday.
'Misplaced priorities'
House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio called the half-trillion dollar spending bill "troubling and unacceptable" and an example of "misplaced priorities."
"Even though American troops have made dramatic and universally-recognized progress against al Qaeda in Iraq this year, House Democratic leaders have failed to include the resources necessary to complete their mission," Boehner said.
"Our Armed Forces have made remarkable strides under General Petraeus' strategy, and it is essential that Congress provides them all of the resources they need to defeat the terrorist threat. Yet it seems clear that Democrats are planning to pile billions in worthless pork onto the backs of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. To use our men and women in harm's way as pawns in such a transparent scheme is as cynical as it is irresponsible," Boehner said.
The bill will encounter more Republican opposition in the Senate today.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has called the House-passed bill "completely unacceptable" and a "bad deal."
"Instead of passing a clean bill, Democrats have packed it full of controversial policy riders, wasteful earmarks, and budget gimmicks that add billions in additional domestic spending over the President's level," DeMint said.
Even though many lawmakers are rushing to begin their Christmas vacations, "we have a responsibility to stop wasteful Washington spending and protect American taxpayers," DeMint said on Monday.
He said the bill contains over 8,000 earmarks (pork barrel projects), bringing the total for 2008 up to more than 10,000 earmarks compared to just 2,658 in 2007.
DeMint also complained about "spending gimmicks" that he says have been used to hide at least $14-billion in extra domestic spending.
The spending bill goes beyond what is needed to fund government operations. It also includes "unrelated policy items," DeMint complained. "Many of these riders are backed by special interests, such as organized labor, and could not win passage on their own," he said.
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"New Direction"?
Hardly.
..and..
.. the bill contains over 8,000 earmarks (pork barrel projects), bringing the total for 2008 up to more than 10,000 earmarks compared to just 2,658 in 2007.
And it guts the border fence funding passed back in October 2006!
Did those Republicans “blast” it before, or after, they voted for it?
Meet the new direction.....same as the old direction.
How laws are made.
American citizens need universal legal consultation. It is too expensive to seek private legal care and many Americans must go without necessary legal aid. < /s >
“attorneys for illegal immigrants?”
Man! We are watching America go right down the toilet...
I bet when we read the details of the $10M for legal aid to illegals, most of it is earmarked for la raza.
Paid for by you and I thanks to our 'leaders'
“…language gutting a Senate-passed provision encouraging English in the workplace”
“….set of new restrictions on the construction of our security fence along the border; on another, $10 million in 'emergency' funding for attorneys of illegal immigrants.
House Democrats crafted in secret and released late Sunday. The $515-billion appropriations bill will fund government operations for the fiscal year that began in October.
Instead of passing 13 individual spending bills as it is supposed to do, Congress ended up passing only one. It combined the other 12 into one big "omnibus" bundle. The Senate will take up that omnibus bill on Tuesday. And hopefully the President will VETO it on Wednesday..........
Did those Republicans “blast” it before, or after, they voted for it?
— very few actually read it, or any portion thereof, is my suspicion.
Misguided? We’re never going anywhere if we keep calling abominations “misguided”.
Keep providing incentives for illegals, and they will keep coming.
There’s nothing like funding one’s own demise. Kind of like taking out a contract killing on oneself. Wow...DC proves again.... they’re mad.
(Patrick Henry)Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! (/Patrick Henry)
Feigned outrage..but they will sign off anyway because they are paid whores as well.
Breaking with many Democrats, Ms. Pelosi also spoke out against earmarking billions of dollars for home-state projects, a practice she calls a "monster" that hurts Congress. If she becomes speaker in the next Congress, she says, she would press to severely reduce earmarks. "Personally, myself, I'd get rid of all of them," she says. "None of them is worth the skepticism, the cynicism the public has... and the fiscal irresponsibility of it."Well done.
Repeat until we get a body of legislators that will work to uphold the Constitution and enforce the Bill of Rights instead of trying to undermine it at every turn.
Enough is enough...
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