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Republicans Wrestle With Pork

Posted by ROBERT STEIN in Politics.
Jan 24th, 2008 | Comments

A generation gap is dividing GOP members of Congress over the classic conflict between doing good for the country and doing well for the voters who sent them there.

According to Washington insiders’ bible, The Hill, “earmarking funds back home is becoming the most divisive issue facing congressional Republicans.

“The fight largely pits junior conservatives–arguing that the failure of Republicans to aggressively fight earmarking is preventing the GOP from reclaiming the mantle of fiscal responsibility–against party veterans, who say that it is their prerogative to choose funding priorities…”

Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Alaska’s Ted (Bridge-to-Nowhere) Stevens, who is trying to remove him as chairman of the conservative Steering Committee, are the leading antagonists…

Read the rest of this entry here.

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Rudi

I've followed Flake for a while now, I wish him and the young Republican Turks good luck. I doubt that they will win this battle, the old guard on both sides of the aisle control Congress.

superdestroyer

The Republicans wasted any credibility that they could have had on this 6 years ago. Incompetent Hastert and Frist could have clamped down on spending after 9/11 and the Republicans would probably still be in the majority. Yet, the entitlement mentality took over and now they are part of the permanent minority.

kyordy

Interesting/depressing new poll about what people thing about the state of the union. Interesting, but not particularly surprising
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/24/83445/9...

PaulSilver

I agree with Superdestroyer.
Regardless of any policies or promises the GOP makes I simply do not trust them to follow through. I can see them withholding earmarks for a season or two then only to restore them after then regain power.
What would please me as a moderate independent is a proposal that every congressman and Senator gets a budget in some proportion to the population they represent that can be earmarked for political projects. This would avoid the re-election advantages of Incumbents, while allowing for a certain amount of discretion that only someone from a particular location can understand.

Jim_Satterfield

Flake is a flake in far too many other ways for me to care about his one little campaign. Too hyperpartisan by a mile and one of the "compromise is evil" crowd that has ruled the Republicans for years, he's too much like Bush and his cronies to earn any real admiration for one stance. And in addition I question his motivation. Don't forget this statement of his.

“This would be pure electoral gold for Republicans,” Flake says, pointing out that Democrats were not likely to stop earmarking in response.

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