Pork-barrel Spending Continues With Democrats In Control

   A Senate bill which was approved last week to authorize water projects has some 446 earmarks contained in it. 692 earmarks are in the House version of the bill.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.): Senator Boxer drafted this bill which runs at $14 billion. $1.4 billion goes to funding projects in her state. she got $25 million for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River, which is double what the Republicans where going to put into their bill. That bill met a death in the last Congress.              Source

 

Money for California water projects

Here are some major provisions for California in the Senate version of the Water Resources Development Act, whose chief sponsor is Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.:

-- Raising Folsom Dam for Sacramento-area flood control. Federal share, $444 million; other agencies, $139 million.

-- Bel Marin Keys restoration at Hamilton Army Airfield. Federal cost $166 million; nonfederal $55.5 million.

-- Llagas Creek flood work in Santa Clara County. Federal share $65 million, nonfederal $40 million.

Among items in the bill without a price tag:

-- Flood control project review in St. Helena in Napa County, South San Francisco bay shoreline flood and salt ponds restoration study, study of San Pablo Bay watershed and a report on whether federal maintenance of the Larkspur Ferry Channel is appropriate.       SFGate

 

   There hasn't been a new water project bill in at least seven years so now is a good time to put some of that federal cash to a use for something other than the Iraq war. I'm sure that between the bridges and the levee's and many other things that have been neglected, most of this money will be put to good use. If not, the Democrats will answer for it in the next election cycle.

   Let's just hope that they don't get carried away with their new found authority.

 

Tags: Barbara Boxer Democrats Republicans water authorization bill

John McCain's Political Campaign Finance Reform? Not!

     U.S. News  has an interesting piece on John McCain and his straight talk about finance reform'

  You all know that for many of the past few years, Mr. McCain has pressed for campaigns that are run clear of the big cash inflows from special-interest groups. He has been particularly chasing after the " soft money "  coming in from lobbyist, corporations and given to the political parties.

   McCain is now running for the Republican presidential nomination so it begs the question, does all of his straight-talk now have a curve in it? Has it always?

McCain has positioned himself as a die-hard opponent of special-interest influence. But a U.S. News analysis of his 25-year legislative career shows he has been an avid seeker of special-interest money to support his campaigns and initiatives. The pattern goes all the way back to his first House race in 1982. Moreover, as the boss or No. 2 member of the Senate Commerce Committee, he has drawn heavy support from PACs and individuals associated with industries overseen by that committee-especially telecommunications, media, and technology firms. Between 1997 and June 2006, he collected nearly $2.6 million from such interests, according to the Center for Public Integrity, an independent watchdog group in Washington. In some cases, the review showed, McCain's positions mirrored those of his biggest supporters. Big corporate donors also have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Reform Institute, a tax-exempt organization-once closely affiliated with McCain-that was established to promote campaign finance reform.  U.S. News

  His aides claim that he has no other choice than to take the cash from big corporate donors and PACS if he wants to be president.

   So, McCain is selling his soul for the chance at running for president.

Tags: John McCain Reform Institute PACS