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$2 billion ‘kentucky kickback’ in budget

I'm honestly not that concerned about it. If that $2b wasn't going to Kentucky, it'd be going somewhere else. If that $2b to Kentucky made it possible to end the government shutdown and (temporarily, at least) avoid the debt ceiling, then why do I care where it goes if it was going to be spent anyways?

Everyone knows politics is about money. It's all about money. Right or wrong, it comes down to money. The $2b was going to be spent anyways, so if it helped keep our economy from being destroyed, why not spend it on the dam?
 
Here's a perfect example of media not giving you the FULL story and because of that, ignorant people have jumped to false conclusions. It's appears now to be fully funded.

http://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/Portal...prehensive.pdf

Though I clipped it, Your post #13 was outstanding..
Though I live in NorthCentral Illinois, we all understand this is about the 'Ohio River' and Interstate Commerce, not Kentucky .
 
I'm pretty pissed about this if it's true.

From everything I have red its one of a few projects getting "funded" out of this deal.

I am trying to cross reference who got deals and if they were on the fence on the deal....will be interesting to see.
 
From everything I have red its one of a few projects getting "funded" out of this deal.

I am trying to cross reference who got deals and if they were on the fence on the deal....will be interesting to see.
Why will it be interesting? The job of a Congressmen is balance the responsibility of representing the constituents versus the responsibility of doing what's best for the country. If a Congressman is going against the wishes of his constituents for the good of the country, why is it interesting to see him try to at least get a consolation prize for his constituents?
 
this wasn't McConnell's doing.... the President asked for the increase in his budget and it has wide bipartisan support.

y'all need to read about an issue before you go off half cocked.
 
From everything I have red its one of a few projects getting "funded" out of this deal.

Another 'project' being funded is an overdue reimbursement to the widow of Sen. Lautenberg ..
 
this wasn't McConnell's doing..
The Ohio River should be blamed for this 'kickback' ..
Rivers are notorious for not cooperating, especially when you look at what is dumped into them, not counting flooding rains .
 
Another 'project' being funded is an overdue reimbursement to the widow of Sen. Lautenberg ..
A mere raindrop in the ocean, and one which has traditionally been done for those widows of Congressmen who have passed.
 
Why will it be interesting? The job of a Congressmen is balance the responsibility of representing the constituents versus the responsibility of doing what's best for the country. If a Congressman is going against the wishes of his constituents for the good of the country, why is it interesting to see him try to at least get a consolation prize for his constituents?

OK...I cant believe I have to explain to you why taking a bribe is a bad thing.

No where in the Constitution does it say a Congressman's job is to get pork spent in their districts in return for voting to allow the government to go deeper and deeper in debt.

Our government has become so screwed up and perverted from its original intended design, it is scary.

When a group of people, in this case the more Libertarian wing of the Republican party, decide that we cant keep kicking the can down the road any longer, that we cant keep sinking further and further in debt and keep creating new debt. The monster needs to be dealt with and changes need to be made and made now. We cant keep going on at this pace.

Then you have politicians in their own party, the Liberal Republican establishment who only have 2 priorities - getting elected and getting re-elected. In order for him to vote for kicking the can down the road, they bribed him with an ADDITIONAL $2 Billion for a project in his district.

How is that having anyones best interests in mind but your own?
How is that for the benefit of the nation as a whole?
 
my point exactly--I don't have the seven pork barrels handy but none seemed egregious to me ..
The quotes from these 144 House members just get better each hour..
At least the 18 Senators, Sans Cruz, know when to STFU .
A mere drop in the ocean, and one which has traditionally been done for those widows of Congressmen who have passed.
 
Another 'project' being funded is an overdue reimbursement to the widow of Sen. Lautenberg ..

If it is money that is already actually due then pay it. I dont believe that a Senators spouse should receive such a large death benefit, but thats another debate for another time.
 
OK...I cant believe I have to explain to you why taking a bribe is a bad thing.
You don't. I understand fully. But what you don't seem to understand if the larger picture, the idea of sacrificing a little to gain a lot.

No where in the Constitution does it say a Congressman's job is to get pork spent in their districts in return for voting to allow the government to go deeper and deeper in debt.
What you consider pork those directly affected by it consider it necessary.

Our government has become so screwed up and perverted from its original intended design, it is scary.
Agreed. But there's a time for idealism and a time for realism. This was a time for realism.

When a group of people, in this case the more Libertarian wing of the Republican party, decide that we cant keep kicking the can down the road any longer, that we cant keep sinking further and further in debt and keep creating new debt. The monster needs to be dealt with and changes need to be made and made now. We cant keep going on at this pace.
If we have to choose between allocating $2b which was going to be spent anyways versus defaulting on our debt and potentially causing a ripple effect of economic disaster across the world, then the $2b is the better option.

I can't believe I have to explain to you why a potentially devastating worldwide economic collapse is a bad thing.

Then you have politicians in their own party, the Liberal Republican establishment who only have 2 priorities - getting elected and getting re-elected.
That's true of all politicians in every party.

In order for him to vote for kicking the can down the road, they bribed him with an ADDITIONAL $2 Billion for a project in his district.
Additional nothing. Don't be naive, that money was going to be spent regardless of where it went.

How is that having anyones best interests in mind but your own?
How is that for the benefit of the nation as a whole?
That money helped prevent a possible epic economic disaster. That's beneficial.
 
my point exactly--I don't have the seven pork barrels handy but none seemed egregious to me ..
The quotes from these 144 House members just get better each hour..
At least the 18 Senators, Sans Cruz, know when to STFU .
Ahh, I read the tone of your post wrong. My mistake.
It was only a bunch of mere drops made that ocean.
Nonsense. The money to the widow was something like .004% of the the year's spending. If you're truly concerned about unnecessary waste's of money, there are plenty of other raindrops far larger.
 
Nonsense. The money to the widow was something like .004% of the the year's spending.
And it was overdue..
If you're truly concerned about unnecessary waste's of money, there are plenty of other raindrops far larger.
If he'snuckingfutz cared about the TAD, he'd look at the 24 billion flushed into the shutdown sewer .
 
as an aside,Sen Lautenberg was worth 60 million bucks.... let's not believe his widow was really needing the 175 grand we had to make a big deal about giving her.
 
Virtually everything we purchase for the operation of said army is. It's not the salaries and pensions and combat pay.

It's the suppliers. It's the bullets, the tanks, airplanes, hell, the ****ing pens. We grossly overpay, because our contracting system is ridiculous. And it was easy to determine that is what I was talking about.

You can blame the bloated, civilian bureaucracy that you can blame for that, along with the unions, because very few of those contraters are non-union.
 
as an aside,Sen Lautenberg was worth 60 million bucks.... let's not believe his widow was really needing the 175 grand we had to make a big deal about giving her.
No, she certainly doesn't need it. But why should she be less deserving of it, if it's a tradition for all other widows?
 
Mitch McConnell Accused of Sneaking in $2 Billion ‘Kentucky Kickback’ in Budget, Debt Limit Deal

Well, the Republicans caved in and ran away with their tails between their legs over the budget negotiations. The stupid idiots allowed the Continuing Resolution debate to be combined with the Debt ceiling debate...morons.

But thats not the reason I posted this. It looks like McConnell's home state is getting a special present out of all this.

A damn project that was slated to get $775,000,000 of Federal monies somehow got bumped to $2,918,000,000.

No wonder McConnell was so gung ho to pass the deal...screw our budget, Kentucky is getting $3 Billion for a project originally slated to get $775 Million. I wonder if the Contracting company that is building the damn is any kin, friend or large campaign donor of McConnell's.

And we wonder why the country is in the economic shape it is in.

Hey, McConnell is in a tight race next year. One could even call it a toss up at this point. Maybe he thinks the dam will be enough for him to win his re-election bid.
 
And what about the f-35?
built by lockheed martin.. by union workers....that f-35?

my pops worked in Aerospace for quite a while... the B-1 program, C-5 program, and hte B-2 program.
Aerospace, while one of my favorite industries ( I love me some planes), is rife with bloat, waste and fraud.... everybody knows it, nobody does anything about it.
 
No, she certainly doesn't need it. But why should she be less deserving of it, if it's a tradition for all other widows?

because she is part of the 1% you hate. she is in the very group you so desperately want to redistribute their wealth. do you know how many poor families could be fed with 175 grand? but I guess because her husband was a democrat she is immune to the hate and the redistribution of her wealth
 
built by lockheed martin.. by union workers....that f-35?

my pops worked in Aerospace for quite a while... the B-1 program, C-5 program, and hte B-2 program.
Aerospace, while one of my favorite industries ( I love me some planes), is rife with bloat, waste and fraud.... everybody knows it, nobody does anything about it.


Well maybe if Lockheed Martin got off its collective tailpipe and got to work maybe they would not need to waste so much time and money.

Maybe if we let Boeing have a shot at producing more of its joint strike fighter prototype, then maybe Lockheed would appreciate the urgency of the matter
 
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