Congress gives federal government a big raise in economic crisis
posted at 10:14 am on March 11, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
And we’re not just talking earmarks, either. The Washington Post notes that the omnibus spending bill passed last night by Congress for Barack Obama’s certain approval doesn’t just fund the non-defense government agencies for the remainder of the fiscal year; it gives them hefty increases over previous spending levels. It sends a message of profligacy after the passage of massive stimulus and bailout bills, while Americans watch their retirement savings disappear:
The Senate gave final approval last night to a $410 billion spending bill to fund most of the federal government for the remainder of the year after overcoming a resilient Republican opposition and several Democratic defections.
The bill, which includes thousands of controversial earmarks inserted by members of both parties, was approved on a voice vote after eight Republicans joined 54 Democrats in backing a procedural measure to bring the long and rancorous debate to a close. President Obama has indicated that he will sign the legislation despite having misgivings about the earmarks. …
The bill represents a bonanza for federal agencies that felt a budget squeeze for much of Bush’s two terms. Mass transit, public housing, the National Institutes of Health, Head Start and the Pell grant program are all among the Democratic priorities that would see new federal money flow into their coffers. The Food and Drug Administration would receive nearly $335 million more than it did in fiscal 2008. The supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC, would grow by $1.2 billion, a 21 percent jump from the $5.7 billion appropriated last year.
Who were the Republicans who voted for cloture, and against forcing changes in the bill to gain some sense of fiscal responsibility?
- Lamar Alexander
- Kit Bond
- Thad Cochran
- Lisa Murkowski
- Richard Shelby
- Olympia Snowe
- Arlen Specter
- Roger Wicker
Had they upheld the filibuster and forced changes to the bill, Nancy Pelosi pledged to kill the bill entirely, returning spending to 2008 levels. In my mind, that’s a feature, not a bug. With American wealth disappearing in the Wall Street meltdown and our retirements deflating rapidly, the only entity not living within its means is the federal Leviathan. 2008 levels were already too high, but they look positively parsimonious compared to the free-spending Democrats in charge of Congress, happily throwing away money that simply doesn’t exist.
We should mention the Democrats who tried to join the revolt:
- Evan Bayh
- Russ Feingold
- Claire McCaskill
Too bad they arrived at the ramparts just in time to see eight Republicans throw in the towel.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2
Don’t worry, the GOP’s going to “win” in 2010!
YAY!
Get it yet?
artist on March 11, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Can I be the first in this thread to speak of the “craven squish” Michael Steele?
Where did all that party discipline go?
Strike One: Refusing to defend CPAC attendees characterized as Nazis in the Hugley interview was cause for concern.
Strike Two: Joining the Democrat chorus attacking Rush Limbaugh.
Strike Three: Forcefully opposing the $1 trillion Stimulus by calling out Specter, Snowe, and Collins, then failing to follow up these public rebukes with the current $411 billion Omnibus bill, which has over 8,000 earmarks, encouraging six MORE Republican Senators to join Specter, Snowe, and Collins (MIA).
These three strikes demonstrate that Chairman Steele lacks organizational skills, leadership skills and judgement. He is better suited as a PR director than Chairman. He must step down or be forced out.
Ken Blackwell pick up your Blackberry.
Angry Dumbo on March 11, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Cochran and Wicker?? WTF? Did them good old boys have some pork in that bill?
meoky on March 11, 2009 at 11:22 AM
You know I have been… heavily! And if he gets back in time, I have a pretty good “leader” with real combat xp!
But talk of people rising up is just that… talk…
If we had a real movment we should have 3 or 4 or 5 million MARCHING on Washington next weekend…
Blacks and radical lefties can pull off the Million Man March, we can’t get 400 at a Tea Party, so forgive me if I feel a bit shaken…
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:22 AM
There is no way to stop this madness folks.
Big gov’t will simply get bigger.
artist on March 11, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Let’s just say that the southern catfish will be well studied with these new funds…
myrenovations on March 11, 2009 at 11:25 AM
If it was a real movement, it wouldn’t be on the weekend. It would be 10AM Tuesday or Wednesday when all the traitors are in town.
MadisonConservative on March 11, 2009 at 11:26 AM
I loves me some catfish. My grandad raised ‘em without finacial help, maybe he could give them some pointers and my great state can send the monies back.
I’m firing off on these 2 today. Wonder if I’ll get a response?
meoky on March 11, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Dang it! Outdone by MadisonConservtive again! Again, his idea is better then mine, although mine WAS first!
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:30 AM
If we had a real movment we should have 3 or 4 or 5 million MARCHING on Washington next weekend…
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Can’t go to Washington. I have to work.
SKYFOX on March 11, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I’m having my shop boys fabricate me a stainless steel pitchfork with extra sharp tines. Afterwhich, I will polish it to a high sheen. Afterall, I want to be sure that Congress see me coming with my pitchfork shinning brightly illuminated by our torch fires.
Wyznowski on March 11, 2009 at 11:32 AM
These names should go along side Bennidict Arnold… These people are disgusting and vile and represent all that is wrong with our once great country. All they care about is power, not people or principal. Sad, sad day in America…
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Mark, you can bet I will email Alexander. I sent him a very respectful email last week when I heard he was being targeted. His reluctance to the bill at that time was the DC voucher program being cut – and it was! He has screwed the children of DC with his vote. I think that POs me more than anything else in this bill, and that is saying something.
He’ll hear from me everytime he does something like this. (You should have heard Bob Corker’s simpering when he wrote me back trying to justify his vote to confirm Geithner. I didn’t bite)
ladyingray on March 11, 2009 at 11:35 AM
If that’s true, maybe Mr. Creosote is the perfect symbol for Congress. Instead of trying to stop it, perhaps we should be ducking for cover before it explodes.
SteakRules on March 11, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has come up with a vivid new way to express his contention that the nation is spending way too much money it doesn’t have.
McConnell includes the tweaks in his opening remarks on the Senate floor on the 51st day that President Obama has been in office.
“In just 50 days, Congress has voted to spend about $1.2 trillion between the Stimulus and the Omnibus,” McConnell says. “To put that in perspective, that’s about $24 billion a day, or about $1 billion an hour—most of it borrowed. There’s simply no question: government spending has spun out of control.”
The math: 50 days times 24 hours equals 1,200 hours. 1,200 times 1 billion equals 1.2 trillion (a thousand billions is a trillion).
Even as he proposes a huge increase in the reach of government, the president continued to try to show his concern about spending by making an announcement Wednesday about earmark reform.
And yet, still America, it’s people, roll over and take it right in the arse… We ARE sheeple, we have lost our will to fight, here is our very survival, the survival of America and we watch from the sidelines, ranting, like me.
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:37 AM
A wise person once said there are really three parties in Washington: Republicans, Democrats, and Appropriators. The Senators on your list are Appropriators. They always protect each other.
I once spoke with a junior Republican who was put on the House Appropriations Committee while the GOP controlled the House. She told me that when she tried to protest some porky bill that came through the Committee, Tom DeLay told her to STFU or he would have her thrown off the Committee. Then he forced her to take an earmark for her district that she didn’t want and didn’t need to get reelected. Turned out that the beneficiary of the earmark was a Jack Abramoff client and so she got caught up briefly in the Abramoff scandal.
rockmom on March 11, 2009 at 11:39 AM
I just Googled the earmarks in the spending bill and the picture at the top of the results in Sen. Shelby.
Just sad. Democrat spending bill with mostly democrat earmarks, but the republican is the standard bearer.
myrenovations on March 11, 2009 at 11:39 AM
I thought the media said Bush was a big spender . . .
PastorJon on March 11, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Where is the leadership? Where is the payback for this constant betraying of 49% of the electorate. Where are the conservative pundits interviewing these folks confronting them with these votes?
Nowhere.
It has come to this. The only way a Pelosi, Reid, Obama bill will fail to pass is because it is so outrageous the Dems will vote it down. This is three bills in a row that the Repub Senate has enabled to pass.
WTF……
patrick neid on March 11, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Um, you aren’t supposed to notice that.
myrenovations on March 11, 2009 at 11:44 AM
1 BILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR, YES FOR EVERY HOR SO FAR! 1 BILLION AN HOUR OBAMA IS SPENDING ON HIS FAR LEFT RADICAL AGENDA AND AMERICA WATCHES THE SOCIALISTS CIRCUS!
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Damn them to hell!
AS IF pay raise = job saved or job created!
maverick muse on March 11, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Obama’s Congress
maverick muse on March 11, 2009 at 12:03 PM
patrick neid on March 11, 2009 at 11:42 AM
This is why I have to believe that the only real leader we have right now is Limbaugh. Honestly Patrick, Newt goes on the cable networks and sticks a knife in Limbaugh rather than stick up for 1/2 of the country who represent the ideology he supposedly believes in. Where is Steele? Where are any of the Republicans currently holding office?
Limbaugh, Levin, Hewitt, Ingraham, & Morrisey…. Our leaders!
Keemo on March 11, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Rockmom, why would McCain let go chairing the Senate Appropriations Committee?
maverick muse on March 11, 2009 at 12:12 PM
His quotes are priceless.
Basically by him signing it, it will begin a new era of responsibility, starting next time.
Chuck Schick on March 11, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Easier target for the hunt.
maverick muse on March 11, 2009 at 12:15 PM
He said we were going to have to make sacrifices.
Today we sacrifice the economy and out children’s futures.
29Victor on March 11, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Sweet Charity vs. Obama Legislation
Hey, Big Spender
maverick muse on March 11, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Sad but true. Instead of those folks being compliments and cheerleaders to the struggle they are left like us screaming from the sidelines. My only hope as expressed on a different thread is that we, all of us, everyday, have as a debate how do we get the Senate leadership to enforce severe penalties including being tossed from the party.
At this point as some of us warned when Collins, Snowe and Specter crossed over, not once but twice, to pass the Stimulus there is no bill that Pelosi, Reid and Obama can’t pass. There will always be at least three Repub Senators to guarantee it.
WTF!
patrick neid on March 11, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Please keep repeating this, over and over…
1 BILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR!!! in just 50 DAYS!!!
When your child asks what your repeating, just tell them it’s the debt and burden WE are leaving to them…
Welcome to the Un-United-Socialist-Comunes-Of-Obama…
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 12:23 PM
OK folks… this goverment is done… we’ll have to come up with somthing better soon…
So, like the founding fathers, we need to start a debate on WHAT COMES NEXT!
I would say, origional consitutution with some amendments…
FIRST
A Constitutional Amendment that the Federal Government will have to cap spending to 25% of GDP except in time of an Acutaly Congressionaly Declared War.
States will be cap’d at 24% of their respective STATE GDP, except in time of State emergency as declared by their legislature and signed by the Gov, and said Emergency must be voted on every 6 months.
This will rebuilt the balance between State Govs and the Fed, allowing states to have the money to run their infrastructure and take care of THEIR people…. and making it so the FED does its intended job, of being a Referee between the States, and defending the borders.
Oh, and a third part of this saying that the total of all taxes taken from a single person CANNOT be above 49%! The Govs do not get to take a MAJORITY of your property.
Romeo13 on March 11, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Yeah… nice picture Ed, I was trying to eat my lunch.
Maxx on March 11, 2009 at 12:25 PM
Putting it mildly! The moment is ripe for someone to step up and take the lead. I’d love to see Mitt or Duncan Hunter get in front of a microphone and get the ball rolling. I love Sarah and Bobby Jindal, but I’m afraid Sarah got burned from within, and Bobby is simply not ready yet.
Keemo on March 11, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Dumb-ocrat Diane Feinstein said it from the floor of the senate just the other day. Her job is to appropriate tax payer money for her state. Not to govern. Not to uphold and defend the Constitution. But spend money. Money she doesn’t have and worse money she does absolutely nothing to earn. The great people of this country earn it and it’s her job to appropriate it, i.e. take it from you and spend it.
So here we are with senators and representatives that, according to them, are simply paid to spend! And, they get raises for doing a crummy job. I work hard to create value for my company and our customers and am rewarded when the business does well. How is it that congress gets a pay raise when the overwhelming majority of Americans consider them to have failed??!! Wish I could simply vote to give myself a raise with my boss’ money these days, but I and my colleagues recently volunteered to take a 25% cut in pay so we wouldn’t have to let anyone go. Did it for the good of my business and my colleagues. Where’s that kind of character in Washington? Answer: nowhere!
We need to get these people out of Washington for they do not have the country’s or their state’s best interests in mind. Once elected their only purpose is to get re-elected and to do that they need to “appropriate” tax payer money to their state’s through pet projects. It’s a scam, it’s irresponsible and it’s time for it to end.
REVOLUTION.
timajin on March 11, 2009 at 12:36 PM
1 BILLION DOLLARS AN HOUR!
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Congress has become completely corrupt and ineffective. It is a pathetic caricature of the most exaggerated political cartoon imaginable. Our founding fathers must be turning over in their graves.
I have never believed in “Term Limits” until now. We need to clean out the rat’s nest.
Star20 on March 11, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Keemo, those folks are all damaged goods.
We need an educator inside the Repub Senate to convince them that they should all hang together or as Ben said they shall assuradely hang separately.
I’m not inside the beltway so I don’t know who that person is. However if the person exists they have to risk their career and come forward and start naming names and mocking the Repub Senators in public on TV.
patrick neid on March 11, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Great to see the Whig Party back doing what they do best. No money for the RNC, not a dime. GOP = Whig. Kill it off.
james23 on March 11, 2009 at 1:09 PM
The Republican Party is the appendix of the conservative movement, it is an organ that serves no function, a vestige from a past life, that if neglected, can kill you. The Republican Party chose power over principle and must live with its decision.
The RNC views principled conservatives as a greater threat to their success than Democrats. The RNC as led by Steele seeks as its objective only to consolidate its power, not to defeat Democrats.
It is only logical that principled conservatives leave the party that no longer supports their agenda. I haven’t officially changed my party affiliation so that I get the pleasure of throwing away their solicitations and draining their funds.
Angry Dumbo on March 11, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Those are some good ideas to start with! I’d throw in a few more:
No citizen who receives more money in direct government asistance, than he pays in taxes, shall be eligible to vote.
The governor of any border state shall have the authority to mobilize the National Guard or U.S. military to deal with cross-border incursions, if the relevant federal agency is not doing a sufficiently good job of policing the border.
No person elected to Congress, or the presidency, shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in office.
The only laws regulating campaign finance are (1) all donations must come from American citizens, and (2) the identity of all donors must be made public knowledge immediately. Failure to comply with these laws is met with the immediate suspension of a candidate’s campaign, followed by criminal charges.
All candidates for Congress or the presidency must obtain a top-secret security clearance, and pass an FBI background check, before they can be added to the ballot.
No federal appropriations bill in excess of one million dollars can be over one hundred pages long. All congressmen voting on a bill shall be expected to pass a quiz about its contents, administered by a justice of the Supreme Court. Failure to obtain at least a “B” grade on this quiz disqualifies the congressman from voting on the bill. Three such failures in one year results in immediate removal from office.
Viva la revolution!
Doctor Zero on March 11, 2009 at 2:06 PM
Love it…
Mark Garnett on March 11, 2009 at 2:26 PM
If someone would organize a march on Washington, I for one would be there. I would spend the vacation money I have been scraping up for months and take my children on a meaningful vacation to show them that the people do have a voice. I would guess that if three million people showed up on the mall, the MSM would estimate our numbers at half a million.
TXMomof3 on March 11, 2009 at 2:30 PM
And.. Mr. ‘most transparent government evah’ signs the monster Bill with almost 9000 earmarks in… private… behind closed doors .. but not before he holds a presser to explain why there will be no earmarks.. after this one.
Sounds kinda like what the definition of is .. is.
Texas Gal on March 11, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Do not think for one minute Sen. Bayh from Indiana is on the conservative side. As stated earlier he is a class III senator for reelection in 2010. This gives him some cover to say he is fiscally conservative.
bej on March 11, 2009 at 6:48 PM
From the AP:
At least he’s now waiting 48 hours before completely reversing himself.
What a complete ass this guy is.
Chuck Schick on March 11, 2009 at 7:26 PM
Everyone is always crying for a big tent, but should the tent be so big as to allow “Republicans” who can’t even uphold the basic tenets of conservatism?
kagai on March 11, 2009 at 7:27 PM
I was trying to find some number that would put the current spending spree in DC into perspective.
In the last couple of months Congress has voted to spent how much? I’m putting it at about $2.2 Trillion. Correct me if I am wrong. There are currently 534 members + the President so it was this group of 535 that did it(Keep it simple and not exclude those voting against the spending).
That come to about $4.2 BILLION per elected representative. I read that the average collage grad with a BA earns about $2.1 million in their lifetime. So it would take the total lifetime earnings of about 2000 citizens to cover the bill of each representative for this round of spending.
In other words each one has condemned 2000 people to slavery to cover their spending spree. One Millon people in total.
OBQuiet on March 11, 2009 at 8:20 PM
I’m going to Senator Shelby’s office this week with my 6 year old daughter. I’ll be bearing gifts – a bag of BBQ Pork Rinds. I’ll ask the staffer to please explain, to my 6 year old, all about the the “fully vetted and transparent earmarks” that the Senator has brought home to Alabama. I’ll have them explain to her how she will pay for them and that they are likely mostly favors to long standing campaign contributors. I’ll also explain to her, in front of the staff, that Senator Shelby voted for a man who cheated on his taxes, thinking that he was a man of integrity and good standing. I home school so I can then make a note in our homeschool journal that we studied “our government at work” and character training. A good education to be had by all!
kringeesmom on March 11, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Didn’t see the outrage from conservatives when Bush spent like a drunken sailor with full compliance from a gop congress (2000-2006). Only now with a Democratic president is the outrage off the back burner. Thats laughable, only now the out of control spending is a problem, not before. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
athensboy on March 11, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Problem with even that kind of earmarks is; we all pay for them regardless of who benefits, some districts a lot, others not at all, and this is not the time, with all the financial problems this country is having, to put non-emergency items in the budget.
When our family has to tighten our belts, we don’t remodel the kitchen, even though it may need it, (unless it’s an emergency). We wait until our finances are back in order and then we move on with the project. A train from Las Vegas to Disneyland hardly qualifies as anyone’s emergency.
Susanboo on March 11, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Then you weren’t paying attention. Conservatives have been screaming at Congressional Republicans and Democrats, for the last few years. The only reason (in my book anyway) the Dems won control over the House and Senate in 2006 was because the Repubs let spending get out of hand. I have to admit though, I never had the guts to vote my two Senators out of office because the only other choices were idiot Democrats, and my Senators have pretty good voting records.
Susanboo on March 11, 2009 at 10:44 PM
SECOND
Congress shall devote a third of its in-session term each year to repealing old laws.
fossten on March 11, 2009 at 11:22 PM
Obama’s recession getting to you?
Johan Klaus on March 11, 2009 at 11:29 PM
All across Tennessee, families are sticking to a budget. cutting back on spending. Making tough choices. Businesses are cutting back and worry about laying people off.
Lamar Alexander casts his yes vote to further punish people by straggling us with more debt. More taxes that we, the People, have to pay.
TN Mom on March 11, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Why should the rest of the country pay for these few?
Turns out most of the foreclosures are centered in a few dense clusters.
Mr. Joe on March 12, 2009 at 1:50 AM
the appendix is an important part of the immune system, including it’s role as incubator and “bomb shelter” for beneficial intestinal flora. (bacteria) The RINOs are an infection that are trying to kill the Republican Party.
.
* Lamar Alexander
* Kit Bond
* Thad Cochran
* Lisa Murkowski
* Richard Shelby
* Olympia Snowe
* Arlen Specter
* Roger Wicker
.
Anybody got a rope?
darktood on March 12, 2009 at 6:08 AM
Before I reply, let me make it clear that I am 100% against any for of bailouts for morons who bought more than they can afford.
However, the thesis of that article is misleading. Yeah if you look at the map it’s a small % of the country. But the small areas include California, Florida, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Cleveland, Detroit, DC, Memphis, Phoenix. You’re talking the 1st and 3rd most populous states and most if not all top 10 cities population wise in the country.
It’s a lot more widespread than that map would have you believe.
angryed on March 12, 2009 at 8:13 AM
He heard from me. Did you see all the earmarks he requested? Corker had some too but not nearly as many. Thank goodness my GOP representative didn’t have any.
ladyingray on March 12, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Sorry if someone already posted this, but do not have time to read it all this AM: Did see that in MA 1 out of every 5 dollars of ’stimulating’ funds are going to preserve the Kennedy heritage- courtesy of idiot Kerry. Don’t know about you, but that’s my money too and the last place I want it is to perpetuate Kennedyism on any front. Burns me up!!
jeanie on March 12, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Having lived in Texas and Tennessee for my entire adult life (and in conservative congressional districts IN those states), it has been a long time since I’ve been able to help vote a worthless skunk out of office. When it starts to get close to primary time, I’ll be campaigning for SOMEONE against Lamar Alexander.
Actually, I live a stone’s throw from Lamar Alexander Highway, in Maryville, TN. I wonder if we can rename that sucker?
RegularJoe on March 12, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Comment pages: « Previous 1 2