- 11/14/10 10:00 AM ET
As Senate Republicans mull an earmark ban, they have organizations to remind them such spending is unpopular with voters, according to the senator leading the push for a moratorium: Tea Party groups who want spending shrunk.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said on Sunday that although he has earmarked federal dollars for his home state in the past, the success of the Tea Party movement is a reminder that politicians who fail to help rein in spending can get tossed out of office.
Noting that he went "cold turkey" on earmarks four years ago, DeMint called himself "a recovering earmarker."
"Thankfully, there's support groups all over the country, and they're called Tea Parties," he said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.
DeMint is leading a group of Senate Republicans who want their colleagues to pass a two-year earmark ban, mirroring a similar moratorium in the House.
DeMint said he disagrees with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who has said this ban will not have a significant impact on spending.
"Mitch is a good friend," DeMint said. "On this issue, we disagree. You would see spending go down dramatically if you took out all the earmarks."
Demint said he expects the ban to pass despite opposition from some Republicans.
"I think we'll win the vote," he said. "Just about every new freshman" supports the ban, he said.
One reason an earmark ban would have a larger savings impact than the dollar value of each earmark, Demint said, is that members are more likely to vote for a fat appropriations bill if it is laden with takeaways for their state.
Washington contains "just over 500 congressman and senators who think its their job to bring home the bacon and that takes your eye off the ball," he said.
Comments
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said on Sunday that although he has earmarked federal dollars for his home state in the past, the success of the Tea Party movement is a reminder that politicians who fail to help rein in spending can get tossed out of office.
Noting that he went "cold turkey" on earmarks four years ago, DeMint called himself "a recovering earmarker."
"Thankfully, there's support groups all over the country, and they're called Tea Parties," he said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.
DeMint is leading a group of Senate Republicans who want their colleagues to pass a two-year earmark ban, mirroring a similar moratorium in the House.
DeMint said he disagrees with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who has said this ban will not have a significant impact on spending.
"Mitch is a good friend," DeMint said. "On this issue, we disagree. You would see spending go down dramatically if you took out all the earmarks."
Demint said he expects the ban to pass despite opposition from some Republicans.
"I think we'll win the vote," he said. "Just about every new freshman" supports the ban, he said.
One reason an earmark ban would have a larger savings impact than the dollar value of each earmark, Demint said, is that members are more likely to vote for a fat appropriations bill if it is laden with takeaways for their state.
Washington contains "just over 500 congressman and senators who think its their job to bring home the bacon and that takes your eye off the ball," he said.
Comments
I agree with ya ABE, but a lot of other folks aren't as reasonable as you and I. They have a frame of mind that nobody owes them a living and that they should be taking responsibilty for themselves. We can't all be perfect and they probably think that we are the ones that are whacked up. Sad isn't it?
BY on 11/14/2010 at 12:56
Republicans May Yet Have Upper Hand in Senate
FACT: On paper, the numbers tell you the Democrats held on to a majority in the Senate last week.
OPINION: In reality, things won't be quite that neat.
In fact, on some issues the Republicans actually may have a functional majority, given the sentiments likely to prevail among certain Democrats who face the voters in two years.
FACT: But life is never that simple in the Senate and certainly won't be now. Among the Senate Democrats, 23 will face re-election in just two years, and, having just witnessed the Tsunami drubbing some in their party took at the polls, they likely will be even less willing now to toe the party line.
Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who caucuses with Democrats, often leans rightward, anyway.
More important, in fact, among those 23 Democrats who face voters in 2012 are a handful of incumbents from the kind of moderate to conservative states where Democrats took a Tidal Wave beating last week…
GOP Tsunami driving Democrats from office in rural areas, the suburbs and virtually the entire South — and unseating a Generation of powerful Democratic centrists.
Over 60 House seats and over 680 State Legislative Democratic seats were swept away so far…
http://www.ncsl.org/
UNEMPLOYED DEMOCRATS will be Most since 1928
Google
http://www.ncsl.org/
FACT: On paper, the numbers tell you the Democrats held on to a majority in the Senate last week.
OPINION: In reality, things won't be quite that neat.
In fact, on some issues the Republicans actually may have a functional majority, given the sentiments likely to prevail among certain Democrats who face the voters in two years.
FACT: But life is never that simple in the Senate and certainly won't be now. Among the Senate Democrats, 23 will face re-election in just two years, and, having just witnessed the Tsunami drubbing some in their party took at the polls, they likely will be even less willing now to toe the party line.
Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who caucuses with Democrats, often leans rightward, anyway.
More important, in fact, among those 23 Democrats who face voters in 2012 are a handful of incumbents from the kind of moderate to conservative states where Democrats took a Tidal Wave beating last week…
GOP Tsunami driving Democrats from office in rural areas, the suburbs and virtually the entire South — and unseating a Generation of powerful Democratic centrists.
Over 60 House seats and over 680 State Legislative Democratic seats were swept away so far…
http://www.ncsl.org/
UNEMPLOYED DEMOCRATS will be Most since 1928
http://www.ncsl.org/
How do you tell your Winnie spanking buddies in the Democratic Party keep your hands out of your pants?
BY on 11/14/2010 at 14:43
"Mitch is a good friend," DeMint said.
You can tell they're really just the best of pals. LOL.BY on 11/14/2010 at 16:13
You can tell they're really just the best of pals. LOL.BY on 11/14/2010 at 16:13
VoteDemsOut, I do share your goal of kicking Dems out of power but I must say I find annoying your "spamming" all threads with your "Facts". I doubt it is having the impact you envisage aside annoying both your supporters and detractors.BY on 11/14/2010 at 17:29
How about starting with a buget so small there's no money for earmarks?BY on 11/14/2010 at 18:35
The argument that McConnell makes, that eliminating earmarks does not reduce expenditures may be technically correct, but the fact remains that they are used as bribes to buy votes for bad legislation.
The American people are speaking up and demanding that all of these backroom shenanigans be stopped. The Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase were both a form of earmark bribes that bought the votes necessary to ram through Obamacare. We are sick of this corruption! McConnell can either accept the reality of the awakening of conservatives, or he can be defeated in his next primary, just as Bennett was in Utah.
American conservatives to McConnell and Inhofe: NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL!! We can't afford any more "turtle tunnels". NECESSITIES ONLY! Get with the program, or get swept aside
The American people are speaking up and demanding that all of these backroom shenanigans be stopped. The Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase were both a form of earmark bribes that bought the votes necessary to ram through Obamacare. We are sick of this corruption! McConnell can either accept the reality of the awakening of conservatives, or he can be defeated in his next primary, just as Bennett was in Utah.
American conservatives to McConnell and Inhofe: NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL!! We can't afford any more "turtle tunnels". NECESSITIES ONLY! Get with the program, or get swept aside
.BY on 11/14/2010 at 19:00
Why do people post under other peoples' names?
BY on 11/14/2010 at 19:36
And work on those term linits while you are at it.
BY on 11/14/2010 at 21:15
FACT: Hides It on Website…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Uu_tI0hTw
Obama's economic view is Rejected on World stage
Free trade deal with South Korea eludes progressive President
FACT: SEOUL — President Obama's hopes of emerging from his Asia trip with the twin victories of a free trade agreement with South Korea and a unified approach to spurring global economic growth ran into resistance on all fronts yesterday, putting Obama at odds with his key allies and largest trading partners.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2010/11/12/us_south_korea_trade_accord_not_a_done_deal/
In fact, After five largely harmonious meetings in the past two years to deal with the most severe downturn since the Depression, Major disputes broke out between Washington and China, Britain, Germany, and Brazil.
Each Rejected core elements of Obama’s progressive strategy of stimulating growth before focusing on deficit reduction.
Obama's Trade Strategy Runs Into Stiff Resistance
FACT: In the wake of the Tsunami battering his party took in the Historic/Epic 2010 midterm elections at home last week, Mr. Obama has cast his Asia trip as mission to revive the American economy and bolster job growth.
But, in fact, BHO's progressive policies, contentious at home, have proved contentious overseas as well, and he faced stiff challenges during the Group of 20 gathering in Seoul, South Korea, from the leaders of China, Britain, Germany and Brazil over currency policy and his contention that the United States could pump money into its economy to stimulate growth before concentrating on reducing the deficit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/business/global/12group.html?src=me&ref=business
FACT: Vote demsout always sources Facts; web-links, Poll, News source, YouTube, Google, etc. etc.