John McCain expressed outrage over earmarks in the Senate bailout package, a bill he voted for Wednesday night. “It’s insanity, and it’s obscenity because it’s a waste of taxpayers’ dollars, and it goes on,” McCain said on MSNBC.
“And until we stop it, until we get, frankly, a president who will say I’m going to veto those bills, I’m going to make the people famous that put them on there, famous — and by the way, Joe, you know that this problem has grown and grown and grown,” McCain added. “There’s a sharp difference, a total difference between myself and President Bush on the issue of pork barrel and earmarks and out-of-control spending and the growth of government without paying for it. Don’t forget that part.”
The bill includes tax breaks for rum producers in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as well as producers of wooden arrows used for children’s toys. Asked why he voted for the bill, which passed 74-25, if it was “insanity,” McCain said he did it because the country is on the “brink of economic disaster.” Defending his vote, the Arizona senator pointed to the “plenty of other bills that I fought against.” “I voted against the Medicare prescription drug program,” McCain declared. “If you look at the Citizens for a Sound Economy, the National Taxpayers Union, the Citizens Against Government Waste, I have been a hero to them because I have fought continuously, continuously against these.”
Here is a list of earmarks he voted for from Ultra-Conservative Michelle Malkin’s website. I am starting to lean towards Uncle Dave’s theory that the Republicans are taking a dive…..
They should have run Michelle Malkin for VP. She’s hotter than Palin, and you can bet your boots SHE would never be caught with her pants down (so to speak) not having an answer to an interviewer’s question.
Sure, it would be a fascist right wingnut answer, and she’s totally unqualified to be VP, but wtf. Is that any different from Palin?
Hot, and quick on her feet. Sounds like the perfect running mate.
It’s not too late, McBush….
#1. He flips on everything else, flipping on his running mate would seem to be a natural.
McCain’s support of this bailout has ensured his losing this election.
Why don’t people understand that earmarks are not voted on individually? They are stuffed into bills at the last minute, and have nothing to do with what the bill is supposed to be about. Look at the provisions for excise tax on toy arrows that was put into the bank rescue plan.
If you really want to make a change then lobby congress to give the president line item veto power and the pork would quickly stop…well at least the half from the party opposite the sitting president.
Earmarks are the least of worries on this bill. Just so everybody knows one of the little things in this bill:
If it passes, “banks no longer have to keep even a small amount of peoples bank accounts available as cash. They don’t have to fail, they can just say they are out of cash today. Your money is still there, FDIC does not kick in, but they just stop giving out money.”
Yeah, that’ll stop a monetary crisis.
And don’t forget that Obama voted for this piece of crap as well.
Side Note: It is interesting that this was actually part of a law that wasn’t supposed to go into effect until 2011. I wonder how many people were expecting today’s problems then but it happened a little sooner than expected — hence the rush job.
The whole practice of adding riders to bills, especially the bills where there is this purported air of emergency about them, is completely shameless, and one of a thousand things I can’t stand about the legislative process.
I am starting to lean towards Uncle Dave’s theory that the Republicans are taking a dive…..
The sooner the better!
This is hyposcrisy that is swept under the rug every day. Today, McCain puts out ads for Biden gafs. Note just last week, McCain was belly-aching about “gotcha interview” or some such shit about the media picking on Gomer Palin’s verbal blunders. A VOTER asked Palin a question and that is seen as a “Palin attack”. WOW.
Tonight.
Will the moderator tonight throw under hand pitches to Palin? I hope not. Will Palin bring a soccer ball to the podium? Will she breast feed on stage while answering the question? Anything can happen tonight. The GOP is desparate and I expect another Hail Mary tonight. If asked if she is ready to take over the presidency, will she say “you betcha”? I’m sure her 2 week debate boot camp has put some polish on that turd, but will it be enough?
Um, perhaps you need to look up the definitions of earmarks (handouts) and tax breaks.
“Just say no” to Puerto Rican rum. Cruzan 151 from Virgin Islands is the way to go. Dilute it down by 20% or however much you want.
From a fan. I’m not connected with Cruzan.
Gee, that rhymes.
The Bail Out Vote.
McCain – Yes
Obama – Yes
American Taxpayers – No!
Banks/Fat Cats – Yippee! Money for nothin’ and our chic’s for free!
Foreclosed Property – For Sale! Contact your local bank.
Obama
McCain
There is no difference.
Vote No! Kick ’em all out.
Did Obama vote “Present” on the bail-out?
#11 – Pirata
>>Vote No! Kick ‘em all out.
Yeah, man! That will leave only Cynthia McKinney as a viable candidate, and the next POTUS.
Bet we’ll find out about those 5000 dead bodies in the Looziana swamp THEN!!
This is why Homer votes for Obama.
Not only the rum has anyone looked at the crap in this bill?
“Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility.”
“Sec. 321. Enhanced deduction for qualified computer contributions.”
“Sec. 323. Enhanced charitable deductions for contributions of food inventory.”
WTF????
You want to continue paying less for drinking corn ethanol AKA Bacardi or pay less for delicious Puerto Rican rum?
I don’t think they mean to take a dive but it amounts to that.
With the Dems in charge of everything I’m pretty sure they’ll do enough harm and have enough bad happen during the first four years of Obama in office a massive number of people are going to get unelected.
No group as financially incompetent as this bunch is, can avoid setting themselves on fire while wearing shorts soaked in gasoline.
Okay, I’ll give them this. They are great at making money out of staying in office. They have truly mastered the art of looking out for themselves while bleeping the nation not that the Reps are any better.
Gee, what a bunch of complainers. Not one with an idea for how to change anything, except “vote ’em out.” Somebody up there said McCain and Obama were the same, so we should just “vote No.” Huh, I didn’t realize No was on the ballot.
Focusing on the earmarks, like that’s the real problem, is inane. It’s like focusing on the color of your teeth when you have cancer. The people voting on this stuff represent constituents–you and me. Of COURSE they’re going to try to get special accommodations for us, the local business we patronize, etc. It’s absurd to think they wouldn’t.
As a percentage of spending, pork is minuscule. Look at the real problem. Zillionaires are allowed to do whatever the hell they want, screw homeowners however they want, and people like McCain do their bidding, voting and speechifying consistently against regulating markets. This is a guy who’s never learned a bloody thing from his experience. It’s like the whole Keating mess never existed.
McCain doesn’t want to govern. He just wants to win. You don’t choose a good-looking idiot like Palin for VP if you’re interested in effective government. You choose somebody who knows the ship of state from shinola. And you don’t come sweeping in like an ersatz white knight to rescue the country, and then bollox up the works, either. These two things, the VP pick and the bogus campaign suspension, are two of the most cynical things I’ve ever witnessed in an election. But watch, if the House approves the bill today, dozens of GOP hacks will step up to give John McCain credit. And that’s all he was really looking for.
Country first. No, wait, self-aggrandizement first. Then fake outrage about earmarks third. Then blame. Then country.
McCain is such a leader he couldn’t even get a clean bill to the floor.
The Republican Senators only like him so they can stare at his wife’s tits. I haven’t seen any of them out there stumping for McCain.
I don’t think I’ve ever been as outraged at anything Congress has done as I am at these earmarks. I’m simply furious, and am making this travesty a point of conversation whenever and where ever I can.
Folks, it’s not enough to just spout out on an online forum. Get Mad!! Stay Mad! Get others Mad! If we let this just fade away as our elected jerks expect will happen, we will keep getting this sort of representation.
Get Mad! Stay Mad! Do Something!