Clinton Spends Money Like a Drunken Sailor--Requests $2.3B in Earmarks!

[Stephanie]

Why is she refusing to give details on these requests?

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

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.

***

Clinton’s huge earmark requests have some speculating that the former first lady is preparing for a soft landing should she lose the Democratic primary to Obama and refocus her energy on winning a third Senate term.

Steve Ellis, a vice president at Taxpayers for Common Sense, a group critical of earmarks, said the amount is not unusual for a senator hailing from a big state who has long secured pet projects.

“For her to all of a sudden change course would look opportunistic,” Ellis said.

“There’s a decent chance that she is going to remain the senator from New York, and she needs to do what she can to stay the senator from New York.”

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.

***

The most specifics the office provided related to her request for the Military Construction spending bill. In that bill, she wants appropriators to provide $7 million to complete construction of a facility at the Air National Guard base in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., $6.6 million to construct a fire station in Fort Drum, N.Y., and $8.5 million for a dining facility and community center at a Niagara Falls Air Reserve base.

***

Clinton, Obama and McCain voted for an amendment, sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), that would establish a one-year earmark moratorium. That amendment failed to pass, however, when it came to a vote in March.

link

[leftofcool]

1. Well, we wouldn't want her to work to get money for her state

now would we? I wish our Senator worked as hard

[jefferson_dem]

5. Yay. Let's all celebrate kickbacks and pork and governmental waste...

and payola, and cronyism...

[leftofcool]

7. So money going to New York is all a waste?

[jefferson_dem]

8. So Hillary needs to request 3X more earmarks than any other Senator?

Let her show us the details so can judge for ourseleves.

Her lack of transparancy reeks of waste, if not outright corruption.

With Hillary, always assume there's many layers of BS and it's up to her to prove us wrong.

[leftofcool]

10. Why don't you email her and ask for what is not already listed

if it concerns you so much.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. Boy that's a blast from the world nut daily past. n/t

[Texas Hill Country]

3. yeah, earmarks to rebuild NY and protect it... how EVIL!!!! that's her JOB!!!!

[olkaz]

4. I remember when Obama was pushing his government transparency initiative

"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."

It was exactly this type of thing he was talking about.

Being a progressive means it's even more important to make sure money is spent effectively. Yanking down record levels of pork is NOT a redeeming feature.

[Stephanie]

12. Her penchant for secrecy is really disturbing

We still don't know who's contributed how much to the Clinton Foundation...

[olkaz]

14. Jesus, if that ever comes out, that's gonna be really interesting. nm

[KittyWampus]

6. A HUGE chunk of that will go to the Military Industrial Complex. That's her thing

she is a War Pig.

A HUGE chunk of her earmarks= money to the Military Industrial Complex.

[C_U_L8R]

9. Seven years later...

and there's still a hole at ground zero.
We sent a man to the moon in less time.
What has Hillary been doing all this time?
As a NYer, I just can't give her credit
for accomplishing much of anything.

[leftofcool]

11. This is not Hillary't fault

There are many factors involved in this. Some of it has to do with the survivors

[C_U_L8R]

20. I live across the street

and I can tell you, Hillary has not helped.

[Stephanie]

27. Don't blame the survivors.

That's low. The survivors had input into the memorial design and what would happen to the footprint, but that is all and that is not what's held up the rebuilding.

[Yael]

13. I can't wait to support the dem challenger to her seat

Money, time, effort -- whatever he or she needs will be my top priority.

[Stephanie]

19. Me too!

Count me in. She does not represent me, and never has, not since she betrayed us with the IWR vote.

[Avalux]

26. Me too! I will gladly work to unseat Hillary.

:hi:

[MNDemNY]

15. Better a drunken sailor then a coked up religious zealot.

[Barack_America]

21. Classy, as always.

:eyes:

ETA: You know what, fuck just the :eyes: response. That comment was way out of line. Who the hell do you think you are? Certainly not a Democrat, I hope.

[MNDemNY]

29. Out of line? Do you support "coked-up religious zealots"?

:shrug: :shrug:

[splat]

16. A fire station! A community center! Such pork! Sounds like she helps her state a lot

[Norrin Radd]

17. As a drunken sailor,

I'm offended you'd compare me to Clinton!

[invictus]

18. K & R

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. $1 million to a NY Real Estate developer and supporter.

The Queen of Pork
Nobody doles out taxpayer money like Hillary Clinton — or rakes in as much campaign cash from the companies she does favors for

MATT TAIBBIPosted May 01, 2008 12:00 AM




http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/20306341/the_queen_of_pork

[Avalux]

23. She needed the hometown big donor support for her campaign.

Bill's selection of Harlem and her run for Senator were very well calculated....all tying in to her campaign for president. Unfortunately for Hillary, her campaign MIScalcuated and spent all their big donor money too early.

[rucky]

24. 8.5mil for a dining facility?

is the Rainforest Cafe moving on base?

[ecstatic]

25. She's not a drunk... as far as I know!

She may be old and tired, but she's no drunk! So...she likes to take shots every now and then, who doesn't? :shrug:

[MNDemNY]

30. I'm pretty sure she's not a sailor.

[Aloha Spirit]

28. $7 million for the New School University, particularly the Defense Mapping Project.ha. Bob Kerrey

that's right, same "secular madrassa" Bob Kerrey from last December, is president of NSU. Kerrey endorsed Hillary around the same time he made the madrassa comment.
I'm just sayin' ... it's not really waste if it buys you votes.

[samsingh]

31. "drunken sailor" is a reagan quote.