Tuesday, December 07, 2010

NEWS FLASH: Republicans didn't really mean it on fiscal restraint

The incoming Republican congressional majority leadership had its first big test of whether it really meant what it said about changing the big spending culture in Washington. It failed. Big time.

After telling Americans that it had marked earmarks for elimination, House leadership just put the poster boy for federal earmarks at the helm of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, the body that doles out federal cash. Hal Rogers (R-KY), who has funneled millions in taxpayer money back to his eastern Kentucky district has been selected as committee chairman by the House Republican Steering Committee.

When it comes to drunken sailors, Rogers ranks an admiral:
This fiscal year, Rogers sponsored or co-sponsored 50 earmarks totaling $93.4 million, ranking 10th out of the 435 representatives, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan research group that tracks money in politics.
There are all those newly elected Tea Party candidates? They should be screaming bloody murder about this.

Can the revolution be over this soon?

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