Dancing Legislators and Earmarks
Earmarks: Federal Money, Local Result
by Derek Harper Atlantic City Press 4/5/2010
...."By spending billions on local things like fire engines, bridges to nowhere and even cash for clunker refrigerators, every congressman is now too busy as an overpaid ward leader to deal with any of the problems that are killing the country." Grossman said (Grossman of Somers Point, who leads the libertarian-leaning group Liberty and Prosperity.)
However, Lobiondo spokesman Jason Galanes said earmarks allow members of Congress to direct aid to local priorities.
"The congressman strongly feels that bureaucrats in D.C. don't know what is needed in New Jersey," Galanes said.
He acknowledged there have been abuses but said the congressman supported increased transparency and accountability.
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April's Letter to Editor (AC Press)?
From: gary stein (thebigmoosenj@hotmail.com)
Sent: Fri 4/09/10 10:44 AM
To: lettters@pressofac.com
Monday’s Atlantic City Press article on earmarks, South Jersey, and the area's two Congressmen who secure them, is just another example of Frank LoBiondo, my 2nd district rep., trying to have it both ways. He feels that “bureaucrats in D.C. don’t know what is needed in New Jersey” when it comes to unnecessary spending i.e., earmarks…. but he does “support increased transparency and accountability;” even as he's securing the pork. So "accountability" would then pertain to the other 434 Congressional districts where “transparency” is needed, but not in S. Jersey?
The other Congressman quoted in Mr. Harper s piece, John Adler from the 3rd district, is more straightforward; he comes right out and says he’ll get us our fair share, and that’s that.
I’m running for Congress again this year, as I did in 2008, and I resent politicians like the deliberately vague Frank LoBiondo. My slogan is, Country First: District “2nd” There's at least a half a dozen more egregious examples of our congressman not getting it, earmarks after all are just a small fraction of the federal budget, and I look forward to a debate concerning some really serious inconsistency's in that regard. ....And I would encourage everyone to go to my web site for a preview!
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Inside the Campaign at Stein for Congress 2010. Candidate - with great trepidation - overrules his writer-guru; the mysterious "M." Sorry, "M" we'll submit my original version... this time. Too long... your version- no time to work it out. We started late, didn't see the original article till 2 days after it was published. Very rushed getting signatures etc.
Peggy Noonan, former Reagan speech writer, (once again) as the up and coming sophisticate of Washington ways..... the mysterious "M"
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From the mysterious "M"
I'm still working on this, but I have a lecture tonight at 7 and have to run.
Maybe you want to work on it for a while.
by Derek Harper appeared Mon. April 4, 2010
Plain and simple, earmarks are just unessential projects supported by dollars we don’t have. Don’t be misled, earmarks are not free federal money. The money comes directly from our tax dollars. Cutting earmarks means more in our paycheck. It may appear nice having a new $5 million community center in Brigantine, but how necessary is it when the national debt is approaching $10 Trillion? We rely on our elected leaders to make judgments based on the overall health of the nation, not just what’s good for their home state or for their next re-election. It’s time for Congress to set the example of fiscal responsibility by resisting frivolous spending, making sacrifices and rejecting the temptation of limitless coffers - even when it feels like it’s to our benefit.
Frank LoBiondo fancies himself as a fiscally conservative Republican Representative of our 2nd District. But our golden boy reached into the trough and asked for $193 million dollars (of which Harper writes $44 million was retrieved), including $500,000 for wind turbines and another $550,000 to study berry disease. Yes Berry disease. How essential were these projects at this time when the deficit was already soaring into Trillions?
How does LoBiondo reconcile being opposed to raising taxes (which he did anyway) but still has his hands out when the hat is passed around? Why not take a decisive stand against earmarks, like Sen. John McCain (Arizona) or Russ Feingold (Wisconsin) who have taken $0 in earmarks? Instead LoBiondo rides both sides of the fence. He feels that “bureaucrats in D.C. don’t know what is needed in New Jersey” and he “supports increased transparency and accountability.” In other words, as long as it is good for NJ, what happens to the rest of the country is basically inconsequential. Sort of the same safe stand he takes on drilling offshore. It’s a good idea to explore and possibly risk damages in the US, as long as it doesn’t affect Jersey. Is that really fiscally responsible. At least John Adler from the 3rd district is honest about his stand – he’ll keep putting his hand out for more earmarks to get NJ’s fair share. LoBiondo has remained deliberately vague about taxes, abortion, off-shore drilling, term limits. He is afraid to take a firm stand on any issue that might jeopardize the next election, even at the expense of the country. Is LoBiondo out of touch with the nation or is he simply playing it safe? Please visit my website www.steinforcongress2010.com where I visit many of these indecisive or stances. I’m open to your ideas about saving the country. Contact me at What_If@steinforcongress2010.com , that’s what if, as in what if we ousted the comfortable career politicians in favor of businessmen with some sensibility and reason. Let’s put Country First, District 2nd and get the nation back on track.
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Dancing with the Stars
of Washington
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Tom Delay- Republican Party House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005 as he appeared in 2009
*******Frank LoBiondo in 2010*******
"shall we dance.....1,2,3"
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"M" not happy I sent my letter!!!! She texts...
Read ur version of what u submitted. 2 questions
1) is this the actual submission?
2) Did anyone ever teach you how verbs and nouns were related?
Stein as Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn)
"M" as Professor Higgins... (Rex Harrison)
The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain"
"Professor Henry Higgins: By George, she's got it! By George she's got it! Now once again, where does it rain?
Eliza Doolittle: [sings] On the plain, on the plain.
Professor Henry Higgins: And where's that soggy plain?
Eliza Doolittle: [sings] In Spain, in Spain!
