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Obama May Go Public with Lawmakers Funding Requests

cpwill

cpwill

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Good. any atmosphere where politicrats are fighting to see who can keep up the best record of not wasting our money is one in which the incentives are positively aligned.


Name and Shame? Obama May Go Public with Lawmakers' Funding Requests

President Obama may be planning to use his executive authority to publicize special funding requests that lawmakers make for pet projects. A memo that the White House has floated on Capitol Hill would require executive branch agencies to make public any letter from a member of Congress seeking special consideration for any project or organization vying for government funding....


The threat to name and shame would potentially cut off another avenue members of Congress have for influencing government spending in their own back yards. It comes at a time that Obama is ratcheting up his campaign rhetoric against Congress, which he blames for blocking his efforts to stimulate the economy, on the eve of his 2012 reelection effort.


In the draft language, the administration couches the move as an extension of its efforts to eliminate congressional earmarks and promote government openness and accountability....
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frankly, I suspect that the last bit is a load of carp, and the political benefits are the real prize here. but hey', i'll take what progress I can get.
 
Something I can actually support Obama doing.
 
I'll believe it when I see it.

Personally, I suspect it's another one of his campaign stunts...like immigration reform.
 
I think locals like when their congressmen ask for earmarks, so I don't know how useful this will be.

I'd rather have a clearer oversight mechanism for lobbying.
 
Yeah, give me $500 billion or I'll tell everyone you requested $30 million. :roll:
 
As long as it truly releases all of them and doesn't pick and choose, I'm all for it.
 
jamesrage said:
Something I can actually support Obama doing.
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On the surface, I support it, but I suspect that GOP earmarks are the ones that will be targeted, while those of the Democrats will not be included in Obama's report.
 
cpwill said:
Good. any atmosphere where politicrats are fighting to see who can keep up the best record of not wasting our money is one in which the incentives are positively aligned.

frankly, I suspect that the last bit is a load of carp, and the political benefits are the real prize here. but hey', i'll take what progress I can get.
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Too bad it says, "Obama may..."

If he picks and chooses, shame on him. If he publishes all of 'em, I'll think he's trying to serve the American people and not himself.
 
danarhea said:
On the surface, I support it, but I suspect that GOP earmarks are the ones that will be targeted, while those of the Democrats will not be included in Obama's report.
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I suspect that even if Obama decided to only release republicans names the republicans will retaliate by releasing democrats names. Everybody likes to play the "but the other guy did it too" game as an excuse for their wrong doing or hypocrisy. So I look at it as a win regardless if he releases the names of both parties or just the republicans.

Hopefully Obama doesn't chicken out.
 
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jamesrage said:
I suspect that even if Obama decided to only release republicans names the republicans will retaliate by releasing democrats names. Everybody likes to play the "but the other guy did it too" game as an excuse for their wrong doing or hypocrisy.
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Nowhere better evidenced than on DP. :rofl
 
I think this would be a good move, but I fear the same as others. It will likely be an attack on GOP or just a political stunt. His executive orders he's using to bypass congress have all been campaign stunts so far. He knows his JAR is down and he's possibly in trouble and he's using his position (like most sitting presidents do in some way) to make a show.

All that said, this is a reasonable executive order imo and would get him some points with me. That assumes he does it to both parties and doesn't change his mind.
 
As a show of good faith, Obama might start by posting his own funding of pet projects
 
It's about time for Mr. Transparency to put up or shut up.
 
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