scrambling hills

So I did a little research on the Omnibus Appropriations Act that Congress recently passed, hoping to find out exactly what it involves. What I found didn't surprise me a whole lot, but it did reassure me that the disgust I feel toward the way Congress produces legislation is well founded.

First of all, the purpose of the omnibus (or any omnibus bill) is to appropriate funding for the operation of the various government agencies, of which there are hundreds, if not thousands. The problem with this particular bill is that it contains over 9,000 earmarks. These include thousands and thousands of projects endorsed by various Senators and Congressmen, who are trying to bring home the bacon.

I often wonder if the financial crisis is as serious as our leaders are making us think it is, but I do know that it is a problem worthy of our concern (just look at the unemployment rate--it passed 8% this week). But this strikes me as the WRONG time for selfish politics, and it strikes me as corrupt and unethical to pursue earmarks in a bill that the President has to pass, in such a vulnerable time.

Only 8 Republican Senators voted for the omnibus, I am proud to say. But guess what? I compared a list of the voters to a list of earmarks and their sponsors, and almost every one of the Republicans who voted for the bill did so because he had millions of dollars worth of projects earmarked. Does this strike anyone else as corrupt?

Alexander (R-TN) - $6,623,000 - Formoson Subterranean Termites Research (Really?! Are they chewing up the economy or something? I may not be an economist, but this is not going to help the markets recover.)

Shelby (R-AL) - $800,000 - Oyster Rehabilitation (Are you serious?)
$819,000 - Catfish Genome (Yes, catfish)

The list goes on, and it just gets worse. It's like some sick joke.

I spoke to Senator Bennett from Utah today (who is one of my representatives) and asked him what business he had earmarking a one million dollar project to combat the "Mormon Cricket" in Utah. His response was that this was not corrupt because the money had been appropriated already, and had to be split up in SOME way, so he just grabbed a piece of the pie for Utah.

The Senator was actually very nice, and very eloquent, but I was thoroughly unsatisfied with his answer. I have an idea, and I think it is revolutionary. If there is one million dollars available in the bill for Mormon Cricket combatting, and $800k for Catfish Genome, maybe we should just reduce the price tag of the bill by $1,800,000? Is it that hard to figure out? And if our Senators aren't willing to do that, who do they think are? They can't act like they are forced to spend this money, like they are caught in a trap. Our Congress is wholly responsible for this massive legislative failure and they have caused a lot of Americans a whole lot of dissapointment.

Obama: Please be as good as you promised us all that you are; our other representatives are failing.