DeMint Team Update By Senator Jim DeMint
The Bear on Jan 11 2008 at 9:24 am | Filed under: Uncategorized
Dear Friend,
It’s been a bittersweet winter in Washington. While Republicans were able to secure some vastly needed funding for our troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, we failed to block an omnibus spending bill containing over 11,000 earmarks.
Democrats kicked off December threatening to pull funding from the brave men and women serving in the armed forces. We responded by writing a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates asking him to use his authority to redirect over 2,000 earmarks accounting for over $5 billion in unnecessary pork barrel spending to our troops serving overseas.
I then presented a plan to Congress that would save you, the taxpayer, $31 Billion by passing a continuing resolution rather than an omnibus bill bloated with earmarks.
Robert Bluey from the Heritage Foundation wrote this on his blog:
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“DeMint’s idea goes back to the end-game strategy that Republicans successfully employed last year after November’s disastrous elections. Rather than try to push through appropriations bills in a hostile Congress, the GOP instead reauthorized funding at fiscal 2006 levels. That meant spending was held in check and pork-barrel projects were cut dramatically.
“Following that same strategy this year would save taxpayers $31 billion — the amount of new Democrat spending and earmarks…
“…DeMint’s idea should appeal to conservatives for several reasons. First of all, it locks in spending that was set by Republicans when they controlled Congress. Secondly, it prevents the Democrats from realigning the federal government to suit their interests through the creation of new programs and additional funding. And finally, it would constrain earmarks, which would grow substantially in an omnibus.”
I thought there might be a light at the end of the tunnel when the House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Ill) said even he wanted to pass a continuing resolution rather than a bloated omnibus spending bill.
Unfortunately my new found optimism gave way to the harsh reality of Washington’s Congressional Favor-Factory when Congress passed the omnibus budget, which was signed by President Bush. But our President was not pleased with the massive number of unnecessary pork barrel projects saying, “I am disappointed in the way the Congress compiled this legislation, including abandoning the goal I set early this year to reduce the number and cost of earmarks by half,” Bush said in a statement. “These projects are not funded through a merit-based process and provide a vehicle for wasteful government spending.”
While those of us fighting for fiscal responsibility may have suffered a defeat, I refuse to give up. Change will only occur if we continue to fight the status quo in Washington. I look forward to keeping you up to date on our progress, and hope you will get involved in our efforts. Change begins with us.
Right now, we have three actions you can take to help me in this fight:
Join the Fight. Sign The “100,000 Strong for Earmark Reform” Petition.
Forward this E-mail to Six of Your Friends.
Sincerely,
Sen. Jim DeMint
P.S. Please help me continue my efforts to reduce pork barrel spending by making a small contribution by clicking here.
Soource: Senator DeMint’s Blog
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, earmarks, omnibus bill, Congress, Bush, Sen. Jim DeMint
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