Inhofe, DeMint at Odds Over Earmarks
by Dan RiehlThere’s a battle brewing over Earmark reform in the Senate, and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma appears ready to make it very public.
Inhofe has emerged as the chief opponent to DeMint’s anti-earmarking efforts and has quietly been preparing for this fight for months. He said Tuesday that he will deliver a “pretty strong statement” on the Senate floor Monday that will accuse DeMint of favoring earmarks until they fell out of political vogue.
However, DeMint has already acknowledged his past as an Earmarker and Inhofe has voted for a similar measure in the past. That turns any charge of simply playing politics back on him. This is also another example of the continued influence of the Tea Party movement. DeMint already has ten Senators lined up behind him. There’s said to be concern among Senators as to how a failure to act might reflect upon members up for re-election in 2012. The Tea Party has already shown its willingness to primary incumbents with which it disagrees. To paraphrase an old movie icon, Do you feel lucky, Senator? Well, do ya?
A GOP aide whose boss supports the earmark ban bristled at Inhofe’s attacks, pointing out that the Oklahoman, along with much of the GOP Conference, voted for a nearly identical moratorium on the Senate floor in 2008.
Pointing to Inhofe’s repeated charges that anti-earmark fervor is nothing more than politics, the aide questioned his support of the 2008 moratorium. “Is that how he would describe his vote for the exact same earmark moratorium?” the aide asked.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
132 Comments
Senator DeMint is a brave champion, and a great mentor and leader! Single Bills only.
What on earth is wrong with Mr. Mitch McConnell? He can't give up the pork?
I have not seen Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) noted as supporting the earmark ban, but I did check with his staff, and they say he has always opposed earmarks and will be supporting DeMint's effort. Hope so.
I like Senator Inhofe, if for no other reason the hell he gives the environmental fanatics, on this one however, he is wrong.
Knock off the who can pee farthest contest and show maturity and ethics befitting your position. AMERICANS are sick of silly games and EARMARKS. The best thing for all districts is full employment, lower taxes and less government!!! Wake up and smell the tea before you burn yourself!
Its my understanding that banning earmarks will only last for a short time.
Instead i would like to see real reform.
Permanent ban on earmarks attached to other bills.
If a earmark has merit it should be able to stand on its own.
cut discretionary spending by 1/2.
if only Republicans stop earmarking that will only leave all the discretionary money, for Democrats an Obama to spend.
Just end earmarks!! Take the candy away from the children, it is what makes them fat and lazy!! Make it permanent, so that NO one is tempted to open up the cookie jar EVER again. I do not want Repubs to do it, I do not want Dems to do it, I do not want tea partiers to do it, I do not want independents to do it, I do not want commies to do it, I do not want socialists to do it, I do not want ANYONE to do it. No more earmarks. If the project is worth doing have a vote on it!!
It's nice to see some ethics coming together. It will go a long way for everyone involved. Americans do not forget these things.
We just want fairness and reliability.
We've been terrorized for two years by socialist Democrats, and they continue with their unethical deceit to this day. I thank Senator Burr.
And so the same old BS game begins. This should be at least a three bagger of hot, heavily buttered popcorn and a case of ice cold beer.
For Infohe to fight to retain earmarks says one thing. He has not heard a word the American people have said. Time for all co opters to hit the road. My lack of trust remains intact.
I find it impossible to determine what in the HELL is going on between these two Senators, however I will
say I would find it hard to demonstrate any instance when I have disagreed with Senator Inhofe of my
neighbor state, Oklahoma.
I hope this isn't just a pissin' contest!
.
"Term Limits" should be more than just a great book by Vince Flynn, it should be the law! Members of Congress ought not to be allowed to serve more than two terms. If it's good enough for the presidency, why not Congress?
Serving in the legislative branch should be done as a short term service to the country, not a life long career. And therein lies the problem. From Earmarks and pork barrel projects to quid pro quo, it's become an incessant cess pool of corruption. Instead of doing the peoples business they're too busy paying back favors, fending off lobbyists (or not) and courting movers and shakers.
I support Jim Demint and his proposed elimination of Earmarks. It's a good place to start!
Without earmarks, the progressive swine on the hill will be forced into cannibalism if they have a cravin for bacon.
I don't understand the opposition to this. The Senate Democrats are never going to let this measure pass anyway; it has no actual power to enforce. That's why it's called a "nonbinding" resolution. The only thing it does is send a message (however much actual truth there is behind it) that the Republicans in Congress are finally serious about cutting spending. True, earmarks make up a very small portion of that spending overall, but it's a highly visible very small portion. This is purely a PR move. So why would McConnell and Inhofe deliberately shoot it down? Especially since doing so is bound to further infuriate the Tea Party contingent and make the calls for DeMint to replace McConnell as Minority Leader that much stronger? I just don't get it.
I agree. This should not be a partial Bill. Banning earmarks must involve the entire Congress. We know that most everyone used earmarks before. That's the past. It's a new Congress with new ways to end political corruption.
Mr. Imhofe if you have a problem with giving up earmarks so be it, but America is offended by earmarks at this time. Which is it? Your way, or the people's way?
If you want a bridge propose it as a single Bill. We're looking for transparency. People can change for the better. Think about it.
Burr is my senator, or was rather, seeing as how he voted for THE BAILOUTS. I walked into the booth last Tuesday and cast mine for Michael Beitler, the Libertarian candidate.
November 10, 2010
Dear Mr. Obama,
I know you are the President, but a man can dream, of you one day hanging communist chinese drywall with Jimmy Carter as a private citizen can’t he?
Have you ever used a canoe? You know, long boat, couple of paddles, or one if you know the right stroke, specifically the “j” stroke. Well, I have been reading the reports coming out of the commission that you sanctioned to solve the nations multiple financial crises caused by liberal democrats, and RINO Republicans; lets put them in the front of the canoe. At the back of the canoe is you. As the person in the back of the canoe, you are responsible for the direction of the canoe, you are responsible for the state of the canoe, and further, you are responsible for the safety of the canoe.
Bearing all of this in mind; would you want to steer the canoe to calm water, or a waterfall? Apparently, you’ve chosen the waterfall, and my fellow Americans are trying to take away your paddle. The commission has suggested the usual run of the mill stuff that we all know are the various possibilities to getting on the right path of fiscal soundness. I have to laugh as I write these words to a man who is the CEO of a failed enterprise trillions an debt, and deficits, that is bought and paid for in so many ways, it is not even possible to detail. Maybe in another letter, though I should leave some work for Mr. Beck. No one with a lick of sense thinks that any of these will ever pass Congress, they never have, and they never will, your “Obamacare” legislation is the largest tax hike in the history of the Republic, and it co-opted private business into government tax collectors to boot! So to think that you or Congress are going to listen to this commission is ludicrous in the extreme. In fact the whole thing is a waste of resources – kind of like 1/3 of the federal government.
There is one thing that caught my eye that I thought I should make you aware of. The only reason a large portion of homeowners can keep their homes is a result of the mortgage interest deduction. Combined that with the article that appeared today in the Wall Street journal that details out the enormous sum of homes, yet to be put on the market through a state government induced bastardized foreclosure process; well even you should be able to figure this one out; though you did sign “cash for clunkers,” so I’m not holding my breath.
Back to the canoe. One of goals of a crew in a canoe is to work together, and certainly not at cross purposes. The Constitution was meant, to the greatest extent humanly possible, align the power of a limited government with a free and moral citizens interests as they pursue their happiness. It is plainly obvious that a government that is trillions in debt and deficits, printing money with no productive enterprise, or real asset to back it, is no longer able to make that claim. It is our job as, “WE THE PEOPLE,” you know those first three words, bigger than all the rest, shout loud, and clear in the Constitution, who on November 6, 2012 are going to take that paddle from your hands and do something to you politically that your papa should have done to you.
Shame it will be the first time in your life you ever got a political paddling, or should I say the second?
Respectfully,
Joe Doakes
Don't forget the built in pork! That is guaranteed to the welfare sates of CA, NY, NJ and IL!
"accuse DeMint of favoring earmarks until they fell out of political vogue." ?????????????
YO!! Inhofe. ****head. Changing bad behavior is rewarded.
The stupidest line on the planet is "If at first you don't succeed TRY TRY AGAIN." The rest of us on the "planet" know government must only be and not do. Stop trying. Failure has been misconstrued by the RINOs again.
But we know it's not failure for you and the Banksters. You will keep winning until we stop you. And Mr. DeMint – whether he thinks it or not – is ACTING on our behalf. Let's keep this civil shall we.
Mike Castle understands the storm. Our next move will be 'storm the castle.'
Earmarks are good – they are simply accounting. It depends what the earmark is for that is the issue. The fact we have BILLIONS earmarked for that foreign bunch of terrorists who have attacked us (Israel) is a bad thing – especially while Americans are losing their homes (our tax dollars go to building homes for Israel on stolen land while Americans lose their homes). But earmarking money for maintaining our roads is a good thing.
Also, it shouldn't matter (imho) that earmarks are a 'small' portion of overall spending. It should be the principle of the matter, really. If your project is worthy to get taxpayer money sent to your state, write up a bill, and have it voted on. By itself. Don't slip it into another bill that is sure to pass on other merits. Being sneaky about this kind of stuff is what makes people mad. We'd like our politicians to be upfront about what they're doing…dare I say, transparent?
This earmark crap is nothing but a diversion. All they have to do is ban earmarks, knowing good and well that either Obama will veto it or some Democrat or another Republican will filibuster, of it will just be voted down all together, and then the ones that support it will brag about their "efforts" while other things more important never get done. No tax decreases, no spending cuts, no regulation reforms, nothing. Those things are the things the GOP needs to advocate. If you extend the Bush tax cuts, cut regulations to the bare bones minimum, cut spending and freeze federal hiring, then earmarks becomes in effect a non-issue. They are only about two or three percent of the federal budget anyway.
The US is broke there is no money for any BS spending. This crap along with everything else they are doing needs to be stopped. Im curious why hasnt anyone asked any of these people WHERE they are getting the money for earmarks in the first place from? Oh thats right you and me they, politicians, dont pay a cent!
Keep a close eye on DC ppl remember these people are all on probation for the next 32 yrs where hopefully, if we last that long, if need be we will replace them all AGAIN along with a new POTUS.
Don't let up post election continue to keep the fire going under their ass. Remember this is nothing but a game to the those in power, stop playing by their rules! Start playing your game through http://www.savingtherepublic.com
LOOK WASHINGTON, WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ALL THIS HE SAID/SHE SAID BULL CRAP! JUST GET RID OF THE DAMN EARMARKS AND STOP RUNNING UP THE DEBT!! YOU EVER WONDERED WHY NOBODY TRUSTS YOU?!
I just saw Inhofe on Cavuto and as I thought he is RIGHT. There is a technical point that will
tie the hands of Congress and cede the choices to the Executive if this law is passed.
Sadly, now I believe DeMint and his cohorts are shamelessly pandering to the RIGHT. We should
deliver a SMACK-DOWN and tell them this behavior will not be tolerated.
FoP!
.
Great. GOP wins an election and not a week later, the establishment GOP start fighting. Way to take a step toward losing 2012 guys.
Those of us living in states without a Repub senator, will help primary those senators from other states by contributing funds to their Tea Party endorsed challenger. Federal elections are national elections now, and I contribute across state lines. I will support the opponent of any Repub who votes against this earmark ban.
Note to wavering Repub Senators: There are millions just like me.
Welcome to politics 101. Earmaks are how things get done.
F*ck you dirt bag….
What are you sexually confused?
Always with the genatalliea fixed on that little
forehead of yours….
What state do you live in that Republicans do not bring the BACON home in the form of earmarks?
Does anyone really believe that the Federal Government are going to do separate bills for every single project in all 50 states?
All you rightwing Zionists out there. Do you think a lets give billions to Israel in foreign aid bill could pass as a stand alone bill?
I don't believe that ALL earmarks are bad; some of them are simply in the wrong bills. Earmarking money for maintaining roads SHOULD never happen. There should be stand-alone spending bills for things like infrastructure maintenance.
One of the biggest problems with earmarks is simply that most of the American people look at them and say – rightly or wrongly – "If this money is intended for a legitimate and worthwhile project, then why is it tucked away in some piece of legislation that it has nothing whatsoever to do with?"
The very existence of earmarks creates the impression that money is being 'siphoned off' by various special interests.
Did I fart in you anti-earmark soup bowl? You do not seem very happy when confronted with the TRUTH.
Anti-earmark Joe Miller is going to lose to a pro earmark write in Republican candidate.
Republican Alaskans do love a politician that brings home the BACON.
No you little nitwit I could not care less what you think…just watch that filthy mouth….
In the last congress 355 earmarks worth over 500 million went to DeMint’s state and we still have time for more earmarks.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/S...
Check out your states earmarks.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/state.html
We are not doing as good as DeMint’s state here in Montana but we are getting plenty of BACON.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/M...
I'll buy my own earmark if I need it. I don't need your help.
Two more years of Obama in office and "transparent" may be a dirty word in political circles…if it isn't already.
Ah the sweet smell of SOUR GRAPES. Waaaaaa!
Because the moron woke up after the election and found teabags resting on his forehead.
DeMint’s state is taking in a lot more earmark money than Inhofe’s state is.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/S...
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/O...
Let the states handle it numbnutts.
Check out Texas almost 2 BILLION in earmak money. I thought GOP Tea Bagger Rick Perry said he was opposed to oppressive federal money.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/T...
Even the founding Father of the Rightwing Tea Bagger Movement Ron Paul is on the Earmark BACON Wagon.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
Earmarks = The gateway DRUG to even more despicable forms of corruption.
Founding Father of the Rightwing Tea Bagger Movement Ron Paul is even doing pork for Bonners (Boehner) state.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmark/61242.html
Talk about spreading the wealth around. Who has been saying Ron Paul is a conservative?
What sour grapes? I am having a great time showing how much Repubs love to bring home the BACON in the form of earmarks.
Over a 1 BILLION in earmark money in Redneck Rightwing Alabama.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/A...
DeMint and Inhoffe are both great Congressmen. No need to have the conservative base fight about this issue. We will remember that no one has been fighting against the watermellon communists (green on the outside, red on the inside) as much as Inhoffe.
It would be great if Alaska finally had to fund themselves. We don't want to keep funding their socialism.
Almost 1.5 BILLION in Florida. Floridians are going to expect Tea Bagger Rubio to bring home the BACON.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/F...
I know those Socialist Alaskan Republicans Make Hugo Chavez look like a radical right-winger.
Have some fun with this site checking out how much Repubs earmark.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/state.html
He and Senator Inhofe are both reticent to hand the executive branch a blank check. If money is not earmarked by Congress, it becomes discretionary spending for the executive (or so they say). If true, I think I may actually be with Sens. Inhofe and McConnell on this one–who really wants to buy bigger boots for bureaucrats to trample the American people with?
Good idea, lets start with those crooks in Texas. Look at how much money they are stealing from the taxpayers.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/T...
I love Inhofe-a totally unapologetic conservative–for the same reason. However, I think he may actually have a valid argument about this violating the separation of powers.
I bet California misses racist Republican Duncan Hunter. He brought home over 25 million in BACON all by himself.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
Rand Paul has some big BACON shoes to fill.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
Check out the HUGE BACON numbers on DeMint’s boss Mitch McConnell.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
The last thing we need to do is give Barry anymore power, as he'll already be using executive orders to further his agenda…
Well said!
Exactly fake petty officer. Which is why we want them stopped. Side-stepping the system is what we have a problem with. It is SUPPOSED to be hard to do things in Washington.
Especially since the majority of money is Camp David money as a leftover foreign policy initiative of Jimmy Carter?
And the crooks in Washington are better then the crooks in Texas how exactly?
Saw Inhofe on Cavuto today defending his position. He makes valid points that the Pres submits the budget and these appropriations are included in the budget. However, if these "budget" items include such things as $10 mil for the Robert Byrd International Airport, $300k for a turtle tunnel, $30k to study drunken college students, and so forth, then those "budget" items are nothing but earmarks! They are rewards for the votes of various Senators and Congressmen. THEY NEED TO BE STRICKEN FROM THE BUDGET. THEY AREN'T WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, LET ALONE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. Apologize for the caps, but I do get worked up over this sometimes.
RetiredSailor1: you may want to go "rub one out" while staring at Lisa Murkowski's picture.
Earmarks are the currency of corruption. They allow one politician to buy votes for his pet project from aother though the projects of neither benefit the republic as a whole. Dny them the currency and thisevil market is destroyed. There is no greater threat to the republic than corruption.
Well between to the two of them in just two years have sponsored almost 2 BILLION in BACON.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
Oh and DeMint might want to clean up his own house before he starts taking about others. DeMint’s state has taken in over 500 MILLION in BACON in the last two years.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/S...
Inhofe great on fighting the warmists, clueless on earmark reform
Give it up and back down, Senator… you can't stop our movement
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com...
Salad tosser!
Someone ought to cut some government waste by firing RetiredSailor1. He's decided to pad his post count and annoy us by spamming the thread rather than making one coherent post. His handlers are wasting lots of tax dollars if they're paying him by the post.
The post said let the states handle it so I said lets start with STATE of Texas.
Actually the whole Redneck Bibl Belt are robbing America Blind. Including DeMint’s state.
Did I fart in your tea cup and ruin your anti-earmark tea bagger party? I know you hate dealing with FACTS.
Require a Constitutional Citation of authority for each bill passed, covering everything within it and the whole "earmark" factor is moot. Rather than a Senator or a Representative tagging an earmark, the entire House or Senate would be doing so with the bill itself.
When the citation is required, a great deal of the shenanigans regarding spending would come to an ABRUPT halt.
Seems to me that some Establishment Republicans are as oblivious to the Liberty Movement as Nancy Pelosi herself is. I offer that they do so at their own peril.
Even the queen of the rightwing tea baggers is getting onboard the BACON Highway.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/member/...
I do not disagree that these earmarks are unsavory. However, while they may run afoul of the spirit of the Constitution, I am not sure they are explicitly forbidden by its plain language. I hate to put my head into the lion's mouth, but take a look at Article I Section 9 Clause 7. If these earmarks qualify as "appropriations made by law" which I think they probably do, then the constitution probably does indeed permit them.
I'm sorry, could you please pull your head out of your hindquarters for two seconds? I'm not making a case for why DeMint's awesome and Inhofe sucks, I'm arguing this from a purely tactical standpoint. Demonizing the messenger isn't going to make the issue go away; pledging a ban on earmarks might. And it won't even be passed anyway; the Democrats will see to that. So tell me, what do McConnell and Inhofe have to lose from this? More to the point, what do they have to GAIN by opposing it? Anything? Or are you going to go off on a pointless tangent, as usual?
I love how you try to say Democrats will oppose it when I have posted TONS of Proof that Repubs LOVE earmarks.
Earmarks will NEVER go away because there is no way congress is going to do trillions of tiny bills to cover every project in all 50 states. You right-wingers are slow clusles it is hilarious to those of us who are intelligent.
You actually watch the Faux GOING OUT of Business Channel?
That would be Fox News, not Fox Business.
So proof that Republicans love earmarks (news flash: that's exactly what we've been holding their feet to the fire for for over a year) is also proof that Democrats don't? Hmmm, must have missed the day they taught that in my Logic course. Although, on the other hand, I did learn (not in Logic, of course) how NOT to spell "slow clusles." Seriously, it's like you're deliberately setting yourself up anymore.
I see your point, but can only direct your attention to the enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8. I consider much of what the feds do to be extra-constitutional. They've been getting away with it for far too long.
Cavutee still has a job on FAUX?
I was spelling in redneckise so that you rightwing tea baggers could understand.
Earmarks are NEVER going away. Both sides no it is impossible to do a trillion individual bills for ever little project in all 50 states. DeMint is trying to score some symbolic only points with the rightwing tea baggers.
A message from Retiredsailor1, a maggot infested, salad tossing, parasitic, abnormally unenlightened, limp wristed, metrosexual, envious, waste of oxygen dweeb, whose only concern is, “what’s in it for me!”
Boys, boys.
Stop the fighting, we can't pay for them anyway. So it's also the right thing to do. They don't call it pork for nothing. It's for pigs.
You're confused. Maybe it's because you're a fake petty officer. Don't know. People are talking about the states making decisions on their own, versus leaving the decision to the federal government. I'd explain the federal government versus the state governent to you, but I'm tired and have better things to do.
LOOKS LIKE THE "ESTABLISHMENT" REPUBLICANS DIDN'T GET THE MESSAGE………….
WE WANT JOBS, NO EARMARKS, AND A BALANCED BUDGET………….
OTHERWISE………
2012 WILL BE A BITOCH FOR BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMocRATS.
What Inhofe forgets is the corruption that comes with earmarks. Look at Kanjorski from PA, he earmarked money to his son's "green energy" outfit which made his son a millionare before the company went bust. This has to stop.
It should be a federal crime for these clowns to earmark for any private company and it should be a crime for the member of any committee to accept contributions from an industry, individual or company that the committee has jurisdiction over.
If you are implying states do not have to pay federal taxes sorry that pesky thing called the constitution says otherwise.
16th Amendment
Amendment XVI
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
Well, gosh dern, Sailor, I'm shore glad y'all did that fer me. I mean, poor ol' me with mah lack of book larnin', ain't never gonna know how I got that there B.A. in European History with a 4.0 GPA. Thanky so much fer dumbin' it down fer me. But since y'all got such a bigger brain than me, mebbe y'all could tell me why y'all think it is that them that's up in Congress ain't supposed to try and cut spending, and why it ain't should be earmarks. Or why DeMint's earlier use of earmarks disqualifies him from taking a stand against it now. (See that right there? I yanked out all mah big words I larned in the college.)
Now if y'all need me, I'll be back in the shack, warmin' up the bed fer mah sister.
You have been reported for the sexual slur.
Did you even read what he said? He's complaining about your vile namecalling, as am I.
You want to decrease the deficit well you start in two places. First get rid of those unpaid for tax cuts for the upper 2% that CBO have already pointed out will increase the deficit by 700 Billion. Second get our out of controlled military spending under control. There is no way we need to spend as much all the rest of the world combined spends on defense.
Even DeMint admits if he leaves those unpaid for tax cuts in place and does not touch military spending he is going to have to attack programs that middleclass republicans even like. DeMint says he hopes the middleclass will be understanding as to why they have to suffer while the rich get more and more of the wealth spread their way.
You think Alaskans will have to start paying state taxes. *laughs* No more than TN or FL folks have to. Dream on.
(We need to cut $100 billion every year. That is going to be tough — both politically, and practically (I don't think a lot of people are aware of how hard this will be), but we need to do this.
There are going to be some extremely tough votes: Like voting to cut aid to college students.
Parents are not going to like that. Republican parents are not going to like that. Conservative Republican parents reading this site right now are not going to like that.
But these are the things that have to be chopped to really have a chance of cutting $100 billion. We're not going to cut that much simply by reducing foreign aid. We're going to have to cut a lot of things that people actually… well, kind of like.
We have to do this. Whether or not we'll be punished epically in 2012 like the Dems were in 2010, I don't know. But we're locked in to this now.
I hope everyone understands what we've voted for, here.)
http://minx.cc/?post=307850
You need to get your mind out of the gutter. Pervert.
Probably not yet since they still have over 800 million in pork coming in BUT if they get cut off from the BACON Wagon they might have to start.
http://www.legistorm.com/earmarks/details/state/A...
You must be logged in to post a comment.