Coburn Amendment Fails

[vulturesrow]

Senate Comes to Halt in Battle of Bridges (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_co/spending_showdown;_ylt=AjEK2w9mqRnRiwPkKFyXLzk8KbI F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

WASHINGTON - In a clash of generations and political philosophy, 37-year Senate veteran Ted Stevens of Alaska told a freshman colleague that he would resign and "be taken out of here on a stretcher" if the Senate killed funding for two Alaskan bridges.

[etgryphon]

[ QUOTE ]
Senate Comes to Halt in Battle of Bridges (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_co/spending_showdown;_ylt=AjEK2w9mqRnRiwPkKFyXLzk8KbI F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

WASHINGTON - In a clash of generations and political philosophy, 37-year Senate veteran Ted Stevens of Alaska told a freshman colleague that he would resign and "be taken out of here on a stretcher" if the Senate killed funding for two Alaskan bridges.

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That so embarrassing when the governing legislative body gets in a huff because someone is questioning specific spending projects. That's inane.

Bravo to Coburn for at least trying...

-Gryph

[MtSmalls]

I think this ought to generate a spectacular LTE/write your congressman drive. This is embarassing on both sides of the aisle....

[etgryphon]

[ QUOTE ]
I think this ought to generate a spectacular LTE/write your congressman drive. This is embarassing on both sides of the aisle....

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. It just funny that they actualyl came out and said, "What are you doing, we've always agreed to not question each other..." Stupid. I hope the the MSM jumps all over this.

-Gryph

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]

But in the tradition-bound Senate, Coburn was taking on an unwritten rule that one senator does not attack the projects sought by another.

"I've been here now almost 37 years," Stevens said. "This is the first time I have seen any attempt of any senator to treat my state in a way different from any other state."


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I for one am outraged that Coburn would dare to impinge upon the time-honored right to wasteful pork projects and break their complicitous cartel that relies upon delivering pork to keep their jobs!

We are in big trouble.

I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulation Coburn for good intentions. I realize that he's a reactionary conservative on a lot of issues, but it's important to recognize when someone on the other side of the aisle takes risks to try to help the country.

[Jedster]

[ QUOTE ]
Senate Comes to Halt in Battle of Bridges (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_co/spending_showdown;_ylt=AjEK2w9mqRnRiwPkKFyXLzk8KbI F;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--)

WASHINGTON - In a clash of generations and political philosophy, 37-year Senate veteran Ted Stevens of Alaska told a freshman colleague that he would resign and "be taken out of here on a stretcher" if the Senate killed funding for two Alaskan bridges.

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Yet another flaming example of President Bush pandering to left-wing intellectual elites.

[HDPM]

stevens is a total disgrace. He is mr. pork barrel. What I find hilarious is that when anybody says they will quit in a huff and throw a big hissy fit, the response is to simply do what they don't want done. Any self respecting republican should have voted for the amendment once that loser stevens threatened to quit. Should have been 98-2 with a nice card saying thanks for the resignation. Stevens is the worst re: spending.

[slamdunkpro]

[ QUOTE ]
stevens is a total disgrace. He is mr. pork barrel.

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You’ve obviously never heard of this porker (http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_byrddroppings)

[Felix_Nietsche]

Ted Stevens is the scumbag senator that got the US tax payers to pay for a $1.5M bus stop in Alaska. I would have love for him to resign so that we could get a REAL conservative in the Senate for the state of Alaska. There is NOTHING in the US Constitution that gives the Senate the authority to use federal dollars on a bus stop. You can't claim this is covered by use the interstate commerce clause because I don't think anyone was using this bus stop for interstate commerce.....

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/05/18/feds_give_anchorage_15m_for_bus_stop?mode=PF

[MtSmalls]

Byrd (from your link) = $399 million in 2005 $220 per citizen

Stevens (for two bridges) = $445 million or $770 per citizen. (not to mention that AK is running a budget surplus in the tens of millions).

Byrd's record is astounding, but only because of his long tenure in the Senate

[slamdunkpro]

Trust me I'm not defending Stevens, but as far as total $ goes Byrd is truly Mr. Porkbarrel

[BCPVP]

It sounds like the Senate must find a way to kill those bridges. The sooner Stevens is out the better!

Tom Coburn deserves a medal.

On a related note, is there any similar attempts by Democrats to reign in their party's spending habits?

[QuadsOverQuads]

[ QUOTE ]
Yet another flaming example of President Bush pandering to left-wing intellectual elites.

[/ QUOTE ]

/images/graemlins/laugh.gif


q/q

[QuadsOverQuads]

[ QUOTE ]
On a related note, is there any similar attempts by Democrats to reign in their party's spending habits?

[/ QUOTE ]

So, let me get this straight, BC:

* Republicans control the executive, the judiciary, and both houses of Congress.

* Republicans are spending like drunken sailors

* Under Bush, the national debt has gone from $5 trillion to EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS.

* the Republican Congress just voted down a hail-mary from one of their own members to try and at least get rid of one of the most obvious pork projects

* in your mind, this shows that Democrats are the problem.

Are you trying out for comic relief?


q/q

[BCPVP]

I take it the answer then is: no, the Democratic Party can't be bothered to reign in the spending of its members.

I don't know if you've noticed this, but many conservatives are growing very restless about the wasteful spending that has occured. Is there a similiar attitude among liberals? I fear there isn't, but I could be wrong. If there is such an attitude, please show me.