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Reform Earmarks, Fix Washington

John Boehner — Sat, 2008-03-08 01:23

Note from Justin: I extended an invitation to Republican Leader John Boehner to write a guest blog on this site about the important issue of earmark reform. I'm happy to report that he accepted, and this is his first post on ROTR. Boehner represents Ohio’s 8th District, which includes all of Darke, Miami and Preble counties, most of Butler and Mercer counties, and the northeastern corner of Montgomery County. He was first elected to Congress in 1990.

ROTR-When I first ran for Congress, I made clear that I would not raid the federal treasury to fund pet projects within Ohio’s 8th District. I believe then, as I do now, that I am elected to be responsible steward of American tax dollars. Since I was first elected, I’ve watched the number of pet projects and wasteful spending grow at alarming rates. A clear example of this abuse is the House Democratic leadership showering their freshmen with nearly $237 million of earmarks.

Failure to control earmarks help cost Republicans the congressional majority in 2006. We’ve acknowledged this mistake, however, and are now recommitting ourselves to the conservative principle of reducing government spending and spending taxpayers’ money wisely and responsibly.

At our retreat in January, we invited our Democratic colleagues to join us in declaring a moratorium on earmarks and appointing a bipartisan select committee to identify ways to bring fundamental changes to how we spend taxpayers’ money. We also decided that we would immediately enact a series of earmark reform standards and enforce them within our Conference.

The Republican Conference asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi to respond to our invitation to join us in bringing about fundamental earmark reform by Feb. 1. She declined. Since then, House Republicans have forced a vote on the Floor regarding earmark reforms. Pelosi and the Democratic Caucus voted it down. During the Budget Committee mark-up of the Fiscal Year 2009 Democratic budget proposal, Republicans offered an amendment calling for a moratorium on all earmarks. Once again, Democrats voted that down. Democratic leaders even tried to shut down a website I set up solely dedicated to earmark reform.

But cracks have begun to appear in the Democratic Caucus. Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) announced that he would join Republicans in eschewing earmarks. And Wall Street Journal columnist Kim Strassel reported on our efforts to freeze earmarks:

“[Republican Leader Boehner] has spent the past two months pounding Democrats to agree to an earmark moratorium, even forcing a vote in a budget markup this week (not a single Democrat voted for it). The affair has left Speaker Nancy Pelosi red-faced, as she and her team struggle to justify the very pork they promised to rein in during the 2006 election campaign.

“It’s been embarrassing enough that even some in her party are refusing to hold ranks. California’s Henry Waxman, a powerful committee chairman, recently intoned that ‘Congressional spending through earmarks was out of control’ and announced he’d ask for none himself this year.”

“This sort of success has helped inspire some doubtful Republicans. At the recent House Republican retreat, several previous worshippers at the earmark church announced they were switching religions. Discussions have started between the McCain camp and the House GOP about areas on which to unify messages. Earmarks is a hot topic, putting spenders on the defensive.”

Under relentless pressure from House Republicans, Speaker Pelosi may now be considering an earmark freeze. At her weekly press briefing, she said: “My patience is running out on earmarks. We’ll have them or we won’t have them. We won’t spend a lot of time talking about them.”

It is my sincere hope that the House will vote as soon as possible on enacting a moratorium on earmarks. We’ve spent months talking them. Now let’s act and show the American taxpayers that Congress can be responsible in how we spend their hard-earned dollars.

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The ignorant [woman] belches again

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 19:12

Cao was too frakking STOOOOOOOPID to even find the bill in question. It doesn't know what role Obama played in its passage. It is arguing from ignorance, as always.

Did Boehner object to Bush's earmarks?

Yes or no?

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Justin is full of it, as usual

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 18:57

1) Horse hockey. You carved yourself a great big ol' loophole, little worm. You've no more intention of serving than you have of actually going out and arresting an illegal immigrant.

2) Long since disproven. Try getting all the facts, ignoramus.

3) See (1). You're a coward. You'll never serve.

4) What the hell do you think that argument that we had to invade Iraq because Saddam was building WMDs was? It's a factless appeal to emotions -- namely, terror. You've let the terrorists win where you are concern, little one. You've let them terrify you.

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Another jerkwad who can't answer the question

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 18:48

Did Boehner object to Bush's earmarks?

Yes or no?

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Hey meat...where did you

Sonnabend (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 17:50

Hey meat...where did you serve? Hm?

Who are you you tell anyone how to live their lives? What sacrifices have YOU made that you can claim the "moral high ground"?

When have you placed your life in danger for the betterment of others?

Whether Justin serves or not is up to one person alone : him.

I don't see a single soldier anywhere demanding he sign up, they would rightly say that he has the right to choose...thats why its an all volunteer army.

Saddam did have WMD, he did use them, he did plan to use them, he shipped them to Syria before OIF to make sure they could not be gotten to.

We know this as the Syrians recently had a little accident involving a missile and chemical weapons.Where did they come from, I wonder.

As for earmarks, well you can ask Mr Boehner when he becomes Speaker of the House in 2009. Obamarama and Shrillary wont make it, the next President will be a Republican.

Now go crawl back under your rock.

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Quick point of reference

Justin Higgins — Sun, 2008-03-09 16:31

He has his own horrific blog.

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Meat, we get it

Brian, The Squeaky Wheel (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 16:27

We get it. You don't like him. You have done a good job being a lefty talking point sound board. Now go get your own blog and ramble.

You do not score points for highjacking posts.

If you really believed what you say you do, you might come up with some original ideas (like moving out of Mom's basement)... When you do, you can start your own blog.

I have never understood the "enlightened Progressives" (read: lemming liberals) who do nothing but trolling leaving stock comments that where told to them.

Ass.

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My response

Justin Higgins — Sun, 2008-03-09 16:23

1.) You lied in saying that I will never ever put my ass on the line to serve my country. That's your hope, because you hate people serving their country.

2.) There is plenty of evidence that Saddam was hiding WMDs and had connections to al-Qaeda.

3.) I'm sorry that I don't consult with you before making major life decisions, and as I've said, all options are on the table. PROVE I'M LYING ABOUT THAT NOW or I have no reason to further this debate.

4.) You're using a factless emotional appeal designed to appeal to the heart instead of the mind. This from a man who claims to pursue logic.

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Let's have an answer

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 16:19

Did Boehner object to Bush's earmarks?

Yes or no?

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Justin Higgins: Coward or Chickenhawk?

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 16:17

1) What "lie" have I told, little worm? Name it. NOW.

2) What active programs for development of WMDs was Saddam Hussein's Iraq pursuing when we invaded, idiot child? Supply evidence for your claim. NOW.

3) You're lying, and you know it. You've already backtracked on your supposed intentions to enlist. You left yourself an escape hatch, and you'll take it.

4) I want you to stand up and tell someone who has suffered a loss that their dead loved one was a "small price". You ain't got the balls to say that to someone's face, coward.

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meat doesn't know what he's talking about

darkegop (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 15:47

Hey Meat -

I'm afraid you're way off-base on Boehner, who has not only led the charge against earmarks with his words, but also his actions in that he originally campaigned on the statement that he would not pursue earmarks for his district. I'm in that district - and I am personally happy not to be the recipient of the pork that is tearing down this country. If all our congressman took Boehner's lead, pork wouldn't be a problem. I just don't see what point you are trying to make here. So why don't you just take your comments somewhere else?

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You're Pathetic

Justin Higgins — Sun, 2008-03-09 15:37

1.) Congressman Boehner chose to blog on this site, which I appreciate, but the Congressman is busy contributing to our country and should not be expected to answer his lying science-fiction writing critics here.

2.) Saddam Hussein was actively pursuing WMDs.

3.) Not true, and all options including the military are still on the table for me as I've made clear in the past.

4.) You want me to harass families who have paid the sacrifice now? You're using a disgusting moral play that relies solely on emotion and not on facts. Of course.

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Here's someone who's paid that "small price"

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 15:36

What are you going to tell them, Justin?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM?

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Hey Boehner, Can You Spare A Dime?

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 15:26

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Utter blindness, utter hypocrisy

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 15:20

1) Why isn't Boehner answering this question? Does he really need you to run interference for him, little boy?

2) You're still riding the WMD justification for the war, even after the claims of Bushco that Saddam had WMDs have been utterly demolished, Justin? Do you ever bother to examine the facts, or do you just really really enjoy making a complete fool of yourself?

3) Your cavalier dismissal of the dead is sickening, Justin, since we all know that you will never ever ever put your lily-white ass on the line in service to this country.

4) Knowing that, I challenge you: Go find a nearby family who lost a loved one in Iraq, and tell them that their loss has been a "small price" to reassure you that there are no bad guys hiding under your bed. Report back on their response.

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I Absolutely Agree

Justin Higgins — Sun, 2008-03-09 14:33

I absolutely agree with Congressman Boehner that in the long-term, our investment will be a small price. In the long-term, we'd be facing a more dangerous regime with the very real potential of funneling weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups, and if we pulled out now, we'd face another al-Qaeda training ground similar to Afghanistan cerca 2000. Deaths are horrific, but when they are made in sacrifice to protect the American people from even more death and destruction, they are a necessary sacrifice. The number of Americans lost in Iraq vs. the potential number from a funneled nuclear weapon? A small price.

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Dead soldiers are "a small price"

mea.t.b.rain (not verified) — Sun, 2008-03-09 09:16

Hey Boehner:

Do you still believe that dead American soldiers are "a small price" to pay for Bush's belligerent adventurism?

For that matter, Justin, do you agree with Boehner about the price of our occupation of Iraq?

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Any complaints from Boehner?

mea.tb.rain (not verified) — Sat, 2008-03-08 18:44

Mr. Boehner:

Last year, the web site "The Carpetbagger Report" carried the following report:

--- begin quote ---

Way back in April, during the first round of debate on war funding, Bush excoriated lawmakers for “spend[ing] billions of dollars on pork barrel projects and spending that are [sic] completely unrelated to this war.” It was one of his more disingenuous complaints -- the president’s own war funding proposal included funds for federal prisons, Kosovo debt relief, flood control on the Mississippi, and nutrition programs in Africa, among other things.

Similarly, just a couple of weeks ago, Bush devoted his radio address to complaining about federal spending. “Earmarks are spending provisions that are slipped into bills by individual members of Congress, often at the last hour and without discussion or debate,” the president said. “It’s not surprising that this leads to unnecessary Federal spending.”

It’s why the White House should probably find this embarrassing.

Just a few months after blasting the congressional practice of diverting millions in taxpayer dollars to pet projects, President Bush has slipped into current legislation more than 100 so-called “earmarks” worth over $1 billion — including nearly $6 million for work on the White House. […]

The president’s earmarks, for projects including national park improvements, land purchases and new government facilities, have drawn unusual on-the-record criticism from Republican lawmakers, who typically eschew public displays of disaffection with the White House.

“It would appear the administration likes earmarks from their perspective,” Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., told the Hill newspaper, which first reported the White House earmarks. Aderholt is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. He termed the White House stance as “inconsistent,” though another Republican, Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, told the paper it was “duplicity.”

The Bush White House? Duplicitous? Never.

--- end quote ---

So, Mr. Boehner, my question to you is: Did you personally at any time decry or object to the earmarks inserted into the budget legislation last year by the Bush administration?

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Earmark Irony

Douglas V. Gibbs (not verified) — Sat, 2008-03-08 02:46

The irony of Pelosi's sudden concern over earmarks, and her suggested freeze on earmarks, is that a couple weeks ago the Majority Democrats decided to shut down the House Republican's earmark reform website, http://www.earmarkreform.house.gov. This site served as a hub for news and information regarding House GOP efforts to hold the Democrat Majority to its promises to overhaul the taxpayer funded earmark system. There was no explanation given for the actions of the Democrats, and came only days after an independent report revealed that the freshman Democratic class in the House had been showered in pork by the leaders of the majority. Rather than shut down the earmark process at that time, the Democrats preferred to decline acting upon their promises, and shut down the site designed to provide news and information on the subject of earmarks. The site had been launced on February 12, 2008.

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