Hillary Wins in a Landslide!

[Barack_America]

All hail the Queen of Pork!

Clinton: $2.3B in earmarks

By Manu Raju and Kevin Bogardus
Posted: 04/28/08 08:08 PM

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a single senator this year.

The Democratic presidential candidate’s staggering request comes at a time when Congress remains engaged in a heated debate over spending federal dollars on parochial projects.

It also has gained traction on the campaign trail. Presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), a longtime foe of earmarks, has called for eliminating what he dubs “wasteful Washington spending.” Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) has spurned earmarks, seeking no funds for pet projects in the upcoming fiscal year.

Yet Clinton is continuing to request billions for earmarks, most of which will go to her home state.

-snip-

Obama has released all the earmark requests he offered since being elected to the Senate in 2004, which totaled roughly $740 million over three years. Obama has also criticized Clinton for not disclosing her requests. Her office would not say how much she requested in previous years.

The documents outlining her most recent requests, however, are broadly defined, with few details on precisely where most of the money would go.

For instance, Clinton asked for an additional $750 million for a homeland-state grant program and another $125 million for an urban-area security initiative in the upcoming homeland security appropriations bill. But it does not say which projects the grants would pay for.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/clinton-2.3b-in-earmarks-2008-04-28.html


How convenient for McCain, should she face him in the general election. "Pork barrel spending" is his favorite topic to divert attention from our crap economy. I'm sure the Republicans can hardly believe their good fortune. :eyes:

[leftofcool]

1. Absolutely! We can't have Hillary requesting money to

secure New York now can we?

[cali]

3. oh, c'mon. that's a phenomenal amount of pork

and secure NY for what? Are you talking about the election?

[Barack_America]

5. When the plans are poorly defined, the money is sure to be wasted.

And no, this country cannot afford to waste money.

Vast amounts of cash, lack of planning...sounds like the Hillary 2008 campaign all over again!

Bad idea.

[CoffeeCat]

6. She's running on CHANGE....

in government--and she's the Queen of DC Status Quo in every way possible.

She's entrenched in everything DC---and she's capitulated to the corruption
and bad habits. I don't recall her ever attempting to overhaul the system
during those "35 years of experience."

So it's hypocritical that she's running a "Hello! I'm for change!" campaign
when clearly she is about the worst of Washington politics.

She said nothing about change until Obama won Iowa. When she gave her post-Iowa
caucus speech she said, "Ok....You want change? I'm for change too!"

Her hypocrisy and entrenchment in the DC status quo--is important and
very revealing.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. So is her campaign warchest

[MADem]

2. That's what a GOOD Senator does! They'd call her a wuss if she didn't use the existing system to

benefit her constituents, now, wouldn't they?

Obama used it too, just not to as good effect. Check out the CROWN family of Chicago, General Dynamics, and the campaign donation connections to Obama's campaigns over the years.

McCain's got a lobbyist problem. What's the diff, really?

[cali]

7. sorry, that's just an obscene amount of money to earmark

for homestate pet projects.

[MADem]

9. Well, sorry, the voters of NY don't agree.

Those that can, do.

Those that can't, whine.

Change the rules, if it isn't "fair" or "right"--or get with the program and demand your senator bring home some bacon for you.

Anyone who criticizes a senator for doing all she can to gain the most advantage for her constituents is arguing from a very weak viewpoint. Or jealous that they don't have as effective a senator working for them.

That's called working HARD for her people. She's doing NOTHING illegal. She's fighting for those she serves.

I LIKE that in a politician.

[City Lights]

4. K&R