McConnell gets a 2.9 billion dollar earmark for Western KY Dam

[Catonahottinroof]

This was negotiated and attached to the government funding bill to reopen the government.

http://wfpl.org/post/mcconnell-reid-deal-includes-3-billion-earmark-kentucky-project

[jazyd]

Typical, take one thing and add everything they can to it...IMO, this type thing needs to stop. Politicians can't just pass a bill w/o adding billions to it. They should be made to vote on a budget and live with it. Any laws or bills should be passed on the merit of that bill alone

[Doc]

So it wasn't a "clean bill"?

[UKHistory]

No it was not. It sure comes across as a earmark or directed appropriation.

Logically it makes sense to be opposed to such boondoggles.

A reality (you can call it bad generally and if you are a recipient you will call it good normally) is that nothing happens in Washington unless you grease the wheels with pork or as the recipient will refer to it as a "vital stimulas package".

Gridlock has gotten worse because earmarks are supposed to be taboo.

That speaks to the dysfunctional reality of the situation.

I do think that at the last hour, no one who was concerned about any extra pork. There was great fear of what not raising the debt ceiling would bring to the country.

We have to figure out a way to finalize a budget before Sept 30 of every year and figure out a way to save in a constructive manner.

[Catonahottinroof]

So it wasn't a "clean bill"?

That was my thought too...

[bigsky]

So it was like, you know, totally, back in one of those old Bruce Willis Die Hard movies way back when, and the hostage taking terrorists were all political and stuff, and then it was really all about the bearer bonds in the bank next door.

And offering the bribe and taking the bribe are both illegal and immoral especially using someone else's money

[Catonahottinroof]

I wonder what the political payoff is for earmarking this dam? Louisville is getting its new bridge(tolls on the backs of taxpayers to pay for it). I'd think the bridge garners votes for him in Louisville if that was the bacon in this instance. Anyone know who is giving a favor on this?

[jazyd]

clean, nothing in DC is clean. :)



So it wasn't a "clean bill"?

[Doc]

clean, nothing in DC is clean. :)

Except Obama. He is squeaky clean despite an abundance of scandals all around him.