House Republicans discuss reviving earmarks

Reuters ^ | Fri Mar 30, 2012 3:46pm EDT | Richard Cowan

[Olog-hai]

The huge federal transportation bill was in tatters in early March when Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama posed a heretical idea for breaking through gridlock in the House.

In a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, Rogers recommended reviving a proven legislative sweetener that became politically toxic a year ago.

Bring back earmarks, Rogers, who was first elected to Congress in 2002, told his colleagues. …

New Republican members backed by the Tea Party movement have railed against earmarks as a symbol of out-of-control government spending and unaccountable lawmakers.

Congress has another nine months to operate under an earmark ban, so discussions on lifting the ban are in their early stages, members and aides say.

But on the House side, where a splintered Republican majority is struggling to muster enough votes to pass bills, second thoughts about the earmark ban are "pretty pervasive," said a senior aide.

Rogers' remarks in the closed caucus meeting in early March were echoed by two other Republican lawmakers, Representatives Louie Gohmert and Kay Granger, according to some at the meeting.

House Speaker John Boehner, who pushed for the earmark ban, is considering forming a committee to study earmarks reforms, according to Rogers. Other sources also said that during the closed meeting, the speaker said he would consider reforms, and other leading Republicans did not shoot down the idea. …

[Liz]

POLS ENRICHING THEMSELVES WITH EARMARKS--ANOTHER WAY SELF-SERVING POLS PILFER GOVT MONEY:

CONNECTING THE DOTS How much in federal earmarks did Cong Wexler give his non-profit "peace" (gag) organization?

Ex Cong Robert Wexler (Dem-Fla)---already an admitted liar who falsified govt records to get into Congress--- is now president of the DC-based non-profit S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East (gag) Peace.

======================================================

BACKSTORY Robert Wexler was a Democratic member of the US House representing Florida's 19th congressional district, from 1997 until his resignation on January 3, 2010.

In July 2008, it was revealed that Wexler claimed his mother- in-law's home in Delray Beach as his official residence (though he was listed on the House roll as "D-Boca Raton"), but lives in a Maryland suburb for most of the year.

Edward J. Lynch, a Republican running for Wexler's congressional seat, researched Wexler's living arrangements and took his argument to Fox News. "The house he lists on his voter registration is his in-laws' house, in a gated 55-and-older community," Lynch said. "Legally, he can't move back with children under 18."

After Wexler was confronted about the allegation, he stated that his mother-in-law does own the house in Delray Beach. But he also said he stays there when in Florida which, according to his office is, on average, about twice a month.

As a putative Florida resident, Wexler did not pay personal income tax, and his vehicles were also registered in that state, despite his near-permanent residency in Maryland and the Washington metropolitan area.Wexler, born in 1961, did not personally meet the age requirements for his mother-in-law's senior community. Wexler later obtained a separate address within Palm Beach County.

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Congressman Wexler has been an outspoken advocate for the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, and a leading proponent of Israel's right to self-defense and the need for a just and comprehensive resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has traveled on numerous congressional delegations to the Middle East and met with the leaders of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco, and Oman.

At President Clinton's invitation, he was the only member of the House of Representatives present during the signing of the Wye River Peace Agreement. In addition, Wexler was one of two Congressmen to travel to the International Court of Justice at the Hague to oppose the Palestinian case against Israel's construction of a security barrier.

Congressman Wexler served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and as a member of the Middle East Subcommittee. Wexler worked to strengthen the transatlantic alliance, build security and economic bonds with the European Union and the nations of Europe, and help guide the economic and political development of the former Soviet States.

Wexler was an outspoken advocate of impeaching VP Cheney and Pres Bush.

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GOOD COP BAD COP ACT During Wexler's 2008 campaign, Wexler agreed to receive JStreetPAC’s endorsement and financial support and lost funding from Washington PAC as a result. Morris Amitay, the head of the ardently pro-Israel "Washington PAC," made clear to candidates seeking support from his pro-Israel PAC that he does not view favorably those who receive funds from the outatively anti-Israel JStreet PAC. Amitay said “There’s a striking resemblance between the people they support and the anti-Israel Hall of Fame.”

PEACE (gag) PARTNERS American Cong Wexler in abject fealty to Israeli leader Netanyahu.

==========================================

Cong Wexler was instrumental in getting Turkey increased foreign aid to achieve Mideast (gag) Peace. While in Congress, Wexler founded the Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations and served on the Congressional Study Group on Turkey.

Wexler was co-founder of the Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations, the Taiwan Caucus, and the Indonesia Caucus. He was also an active member of the India Caucus and the Serbia Caucus. In addition, Wexler served as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property.

TURKEY received $21 billion economic/military US foreign aid The US Dept of state reported Dec 2011 that as part of the cooperative effort to further Turkish economic and military self-reliance, the United States has loaned and granted Turkey more than $7 billion in economic aid and more than $14 billion in military assistance over several years.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Everyone should watch the old movie “The Great McGinty”

Machine Ward Boss: WHAT reform party? I AM reform party!!!!

[stephenjohnbanker]

Choke......GASP!!

[stephenjohnbanker]

Wexler is one of the most evil pols out there.

[Liz]

You got that right——Wexler was obsessed with getting his filthy hands on federal dollars....lied through his friggin’ teeth to get it.

God knows how much he helped himself to.

In addition to foreign aid trillions, there are zillions of federal agencies jetstreaming tax dollars to these Mideast hellholes-—ubder the guise of (gag) peace programs.

The zillions being sucked out of our country is nauseating——as Americans struggle to survive.

[Condor51]

Wexler is gone now. He resigned as of Jan 2010 after his phony FL residency was outed by Bill O'Reilly.

That being said, there's no telling how much he stashed away from stolen US funds, kickbacks, and BS 'contracts' to his friends and relatives.

[Liz]

Yes, Wexler’s gone-—but no doubt he’s still on the dole-—sucking off the backs of struggling Americans.

Wonder how many “bombs” Wexler planted in the zillions of Mideast federal funding programs (over and above “foreign aid” trillions)———that go off like clockwork to keep him and the fam well-financed w/ federal tax dollars.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Wexler was one of the worst we ever had. No collecting six figures off the poor taxpayers....God only knows how much he stole for himself.

[Condor51]

The reason I said Wexler is 'gone now' is that to me it seems like only 'yesterday' that he was exposed as the fraud he was and was going to resign.

Jeez, maybe I AM getting old -- Yikes!

[Liz]

Another disgusting fraud is Lieberman (D-Conn)......he lied his way into office——worst of all, he lied on the backs of the innocent unborn.

This stoopnagle told Conn voters he was “pro-life”-—but the minute he was voted in, he was on his knees, sucking up to pro-aborts. Lying Lieb voted for infanticide (p/b abortion) six times.

He now says he’s retiring..... b/c there’s no chance this liar would ever be voted back in.

Plato was right-—any citizen merely entertaing the idea of running for public office should be automatically disqualified.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Plato was right-—any citizen merely entertaing the idea of running for public office should be automatically disqualified”

So was W.C. Fields..

” I would never join a country club, that would have me as a member”