quote:

• More than $2 million will be given to the Center for Grape Genetics. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and others asked for that.
  
• Almost $2 million for Swine Odor and Manure Management. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin wants that, and no jokes please about how it may be used around Capitol Hill.
  
• Almost $1 million for the study of catfish. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican, is down with that.
  
• A half-million to control fruit flies in Hawaii. Both Democratic senators from the Aloha State want that.
  
• And $200,000 for tattoo removals in California.
  

In fact, there are 9,000 earmarks in the spending bill, and every American taxpayer is being ripped off. The really shocking thing here is that in the face of massive corruption on Wall Street and unbelievable government spending, the president would sign this bill. It goes against everything he says he stands for: responsible government spending and federal accountability.
Source: OINK OINK 

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Remember how Democrats kept claiming that they included no earmarks in the stimulus package although they really did? Well, this time, neither Democrats nor Republicans are hiding it. And this is not a stimulus bill. This legislation, meant to keep the federal government operating through September, not only includes the $7.7 billion in earmarks but also increases federal spending by $31 billion more than was spent in the most recent fiscal year. At a time when they are telling the American people to be frugal, these hypocrites are spending our money as if there were no "mañana."
OINK OINK OINK 

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They point to stiff resistance from Democratic leaders and Obama's reluctance to veto the pending $410 billion legislation as signs that business will continue as usual. The 8,570 earmarks in the bill represent $7.7 billion, according to the nonpartisan group Taxpayers for Common Sense.
"NO-PORK!" = OBAMA RHETORIC 

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ORIGINAL: Kirata

FYI

Department of the Treasury Fact Sheet 2005
 
Department of the Treasury Fact Sheet 2004
 
The search didn't return any later releases with the keywords I was using, but these two should suffice to make the intended point.
 
K.
 

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

More than $2 million will be given to the Center for Grape Genetics. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and others asked for that. (grapes are an economically important crop in several states. research into resistance to cold, heat, and disease (such as Pierce's) isn't what I'd call pork.)

Almost $2 million for Swine Odor and Manure Management. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin wants that, and no jokes please about how it may be used around Capitol Hill. (toxic waste management)

Almost $1 million for the study of catfish. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican, is down with that. (development of catfish farming (catfish and hush-puppies are a popular combo in the South) and R&D into breeding, diseases, etc.)

A half-million to control fruit flies in Hawaii. Both Democratic senators from the Aloha State want that. (again, agriculture is important to Hawaii. Pineapples, sugar cane, macadamias, onions, papayas, mangos are among important crops)

And $200,000 for tattoo removals in California. (tattoo removal can help people move off welfare rolls and into productive employment)

That was a fun game!

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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

More than $2 million will be given to the Center for Grape Genetics. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and others asked for that. (grapes are an economically important crop in several states. research into resistance to cold, heat, and disease (such as Pierce's) isn't what I'd call pork.)

Almost $2 million for Swine Odor and Manure Management. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin wants that, and no jokes please about how it may be used around Capitol Hill. (toxic waste management)

Almost $1 million for the study of catfish. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican, is down with that. (development of catfish farming (catfish and hush-puppies are a popular combo in the South) and R&D into breeding, diseases, etc.)

A half-million to control fruit flies in Hawaii. Both Democratic senators from the Aloha State want that. (again, agriculture is important to Hawaii. Pineapples, sugar cane, macadamias, onions, papayas, mangos are among important crops)

And $200,000 for tattoo removals in California. (tattoo removal can help people move off welfare rolls and into productive employment)

That was a fun game!

Great "Game" HK!

Just remember to keep your hypocrisy in check the next time you complain about any profitable business or individual having an annual 'business meeting' on Necker Island . BTW - I highly recommend it - you can really get a LOT of 'business' done there. 

From your 'game' and posts, its obvious you support wasting taxpayer's money but are concerned when an individual or successful business spends theirs. Just a tad hypocritical don't you think? Actually I'm wrong. That doesn't sound like hypocrisy - its better described as jealousy.

I apply the same standards to both entities. When you are successful and profitable and have discretionary money - spend all you like, anyway you like. The distinguishing major factor is businesses and individuals are limited and, excepting recent 'rewarding failure' government intervention, fail when they spend to much, or too foolishly. They deserve the consequence much to the detriment of non-attentive shareholders, investors, or spouses. The government doesn't get to fail, it gets to print money. The bureaucrats and special interests get to keep it. Taxpayers? All they get to do is pay for it and the interest on the deficit created.

Business, individual, or government; fly to Necker, or  buy every pig a diaper employing people to change them and hang air fresheners from their ass. Except the US Government is broke, they want taxpayers to pay to freshen a pig's ass. You go ahead and rationalize that's a good idea all you want - meanwhile, I'll continue to fight the battle against it; personally, and through advocacy.

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

More than $2 million will be given to the Center for Grape Genetics. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and others asked for that. (grapes are an economically important crop in several states. research into resistance to cold, heat, and disease (such as Pierce's) isn't what I'd call pork.)

Almost $2 million for Swine Odor and Manure Management. Democratic Senator Tom Harkin wants that, and no jokes please about how it may be used around Capitol Hill. (toxic waste management)

Almost $1 million for the study of catfish. Alabama Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican, is down with that. (development of catfish farming (catfish and hush-puppies are a popular combo in the South) and R&D into breeding, diseases, etc.)

A half-million to control fruit flies in Hawaii. Both Democratic senators from the Aloha State want that. (again, agriculture is important to Hawaii. Pineapples, sugar cane, macadamias, onions, papayas, mangos are among important crops)

And $200,000 for tattoo removals in California. (tattoo removal can help people move off welfare rolls and into productive employment)

That was a fun game!

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are joking when you say that shareholders are inattentive, right? When Fidelity owns about 5% of all publicly traded companies all by itself?

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I understand you think you would do much better if there were no government.

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 I understand that, if it weren't for that evil government, you would be ruler of the Universe.

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ORIGINAL: corysub

We have already seen increases in the tax on consumer items, the States are already strapped for funds and so local taxes will probably have to be raised, the proposed tax on carbon emissions is estimated to bring about $650 billion to the U.S. Treasury..and guess who is going to pay that bill too!  The most insidious tax will actually be should the proposal to eliminate the deduction of taxes (read tax increase) for home mortgage interest...one of the last tax advantaged transaction left to the average guy.  There was even a tax on mileage driven being considered but  the administration backpeddled fast enough on that one to turn ski milk into cream.    We all really have to be vigilent and become activists against the tax increases coming our way.

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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

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are joking when you say that shareholders are inattentive, right? When Fidelity owns about 5% of all publicly traded companies all by itself?

The very fact that you are aware of it shows that with attention people can be aware. I say they should be, or not invest. Be inattentive and fail and suffer the result.

What I'm really surprised about is how much you support all those pork issues when 100% of the money will be going to a corporation of one sort or another. They may employ a few people, but not without a net profit, derived from your tax money. You're advocating for the corporate welfare you allege to abhor. What's with that?

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I understand you think you would do much better if there were no government.

The issue is spending not government. The concept was spending money you don't have and can't afford. I'm not advocating anarchy, only responsibility, a concept that shouldn't be difficult to grasp.

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 I understand that, if it weren't for that evil government, you would be ruler of the Universe.

Necessary?

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

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ORIGINAL: CreativeDominant

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

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ORIGINAL: CreativeDominant

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

The wealthy don't pay enough in taxes relative to the benefits they derive from not only using more government services, but being able to accumulate wealth at a much fsater rate than the middle class due to unequal, regressive treatment of taxes on labor vs. Cap gains taxes.

Here's a good essay on why progressive taxation is more fair:
http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=125&subsecID=163&contentID=1398

They avail themselves of more government services?  I don't see any wealthy people on the welfare rolls, the Medicaid rolls, at the homeless shelters, seeking taxpayer-funded abortions, etc..  So what government services are they getting...paid for with taxpayer dollars...that you cannot avail yourself of?

Here ya go:
http://www.zompist.com/richtax.htm  All kinds of things the rich use that the poor don't. I don't care if you believe it or don't.

And how much money was pissed away on the rich to keep them from wetting their beds over "Communism" since 1945?  The entire fucking military exists for the rich.

You know, hippie...your arguments might come across more persuasively if you used something other than a liberal blog which seems to delight not only in bashing conservative principles but capitalism itself along with anything else that fits in more along American values.  Your beliefs are clearly indicated by your laughter over the short piece further down knocking conservatives by twisting their beliefs.  
The military clearly serves to enrich the already-rich?  No, its purpose is to save folks like you who wouldn't pick up a gun to defend the country that you are content to live in while bashing those who made it possible for you to enjoy it.

I have my DD214. How about you? Or are you like Rush? If memory serves, he got out of serving because he had a boil on his ass. Or Darth Cheney? "I had better things to do, bitches."

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ORIGINAL: samboct

"(or at least not have an FDA which is bought and paid for by Purdue, Glaxo, et alia), "

HK-

While I agree with many of your points- especially with regards to the gross mismanagement prevalent amongst defense contractors- the above comment does a grave disservice to most of the people who work in the FDA who've had to live with inept management at the top and systemic cuts.  Yet the amount of data that gets submitted with a new drug has grown dramatically over the past several decades and there's been increasing congressional pressure to review compounds faster- yet there have been cuts amongst the people that actually do the work.  Furthermore, there's still no mechanism to monitor compounds once they hit the marketplace- a lack that most of the FDA reviewers find deplorable.  It's a broken system, like so many in our gov't.

• Three in five scientists said they knew of cases where commercial interests inappropriately attempted to change an FDA action.
  
• One fifth said they were asked by FDA decision makers to provide “incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information to the public.”
  
• Nearly two in three said that the laws and regulations that govern the FDA need “change for the agency to better serve the public.”
  
• Only half felt the FDA is acting effectively to protect the public health. "
  
• http://eco-chick.com/2008/11/07/under-president-obama-will-the-fda-finally-do-its-job/

quote:

show me where I supported any of the expenditures you listed in our little "game". I didn't. I merely provided plausible explanations as to what the money could be going for. I know it's a lot less sensational than "Billions pissed away on Pig!" on Wingnut.con, but it might be helpful to actually know what the money is really going for, rather than displaying patently false "indignation".

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ORIGINAL: rulemylife

The argument has been made here that repealing the Bush tax cuts on those making more than $250K per year will hurt the economy.

It seems to fall into two parts.

The first being that the upper income earners are taxed at at unfair rate and the income they pay in taxes would be put to better use by their increased purchasing power to stimulate the economy.

The second being that we should be cutting taxes for the upper income brackets because it will stimulate business investment and economic growth.

This seems to suggest the opposite on both counts:



UBS: 47000 in U.S. used accounts to dodge taxes - Crain's New York

(AP) - UBS AG now says it had about 47,000 accounts held by Americans who didn't pay U.S. taxes on their assets, but Switzerland's biggest bank isn't providing the names of any more of them to the U.S. government....................


UBS has accepted responsibility for helping tens of thousands of Americans hide assets from the U.S. government and turned over the names of about 300 U.S. clients. But the bank is not giving the Internal Revenue Service the names of all U.S. citizens who maintained secret accounts with the bank...............................


"We cannot allow an environment to develop where wealthy individuals can go offshore and avoid paying taxes with impunity," said IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman........................


UBS on Feb. 18 agreed to pay $780 million in fines and restitution for conspiring to help American citizens violate their country's tax laws by hiding assets — estimated to be worth at least $14.8 billion — from the U.S. government. In the deal struck in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the Justice Department agreed to defer criminal prosecution of UBS in exchange for the payment of fines and restitution, and the names of up to 300 U.S. clients.

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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

~ Fast Reply ~

 
I think EVERYONE pays too much in taxes; especially when they go for this...
EVERYONE pays too much in taxes.

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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

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show me where I supported any of the expenditures you listed in our little "game". I didn't. I merely provided plausible explanations as to what the money could be going for. I know it's a lot less sensational than "Billions pissed away on Pig!" on Wingnut.con, but it might be helpful to actually know what the money is really going for, rather than displaying patently false "indignation".

Well, feel free to answer directly. Are you in favor of the corporate welfare added into the budget or not?

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At at point when the country's grandchildren have been committed to paying on the interest for a Trillion dollar deficit approved by this Administration I think "Billions pissed away on Pig!" deserves a bit of consideration especially by a President elected on a commitment of transparency and "No Earmark!" platform.

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The money isn't essential and the corporations and special interests should be told to find another source, at least for now; don't you think? Or are this Administrations versions of Halliburton insiders just more palatable to you?

Me? The indignation was real then, and real now - then again it isn't motivated by political agenda or even wishful thinking; just pragmatism. You?