I actually thought about putting this in the “make me laugh” portion of the forum and wished we had a ‘Political Stupid Stuff” so I would be totally accurate in the placing. Every now and then we hear of some of the ear marks that are thrown into the bills that are absolutely nonsense but alas, they were voted on and passed in the past. passed in the past.....I like that.
Check out the minuscule percentage of the $1.9 TRILLION "COVID Relief" bill that actually goes to COVID Relief.
Yes, I noticed. Yet Biden said that we all, that means all of us, are in “lockstep” agreement to the bill. I seriously doubt if 20% who know what’s in the bill agree with it entirely; “The swamp is back,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said during debate on the House floor. “Almost every one of this bill’s 592 pages includes a liberal pipe dream that predates the pandemic.” Going with the flow though, I really wonder how many people really give 2 hoots what’s in the Covid relief bill as long as they get their 30 pieces.
Here’s yet another weird earmark. Anyone want to watch drunk mice.....and get paid for it? Drunk Mice Earmarks don't necessarily have to come with large price tags, as proved by this example. This instance makes the list not because of the money, but because it's so comical. A little over $15,000 of earmarked stimulus funds were given to Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton to study how alcohol affects a mouse's motor function. What’s funny about this one is that Boca Raton is one of the filthy richest areas in S.E. Florida. A guy with a “will work for food” card out could probably pull that much in 2 or 3 months that is, if it were legal.
Okay, Sen. Ron Johnson is having the Whole covid relief bill read out lout so everyone will know what’s in it. Apparently, only 9% of the bill is actually for covid relief whilst the rest is for “ear marks”. Thank goodness that at least they have pulled Pelosi’s tunnel project for her district. She didn’t want money to feed the poor or house the homeless but for a tunnel to be used for mass transit. Just can’t make this stuff up.
I recall reading a story years ago I've not been able to locate/verify since. The compromise began with the very first Congress. One of the early Congress critters was out glad-handing in his district and came upon a constituent who was working his field. The constituent basically ignored the Congress critter, making him wait for a period of time. When the critter asked "Why treat me this way?," the constituent chewed him out for already buggering the system. A high-ranking army officer had passed away (I don't know the circumstances), and Congress voted to give his widow a pension. This is clearly not an Enumerated Power...they just thought it was "a good thing to do." Besides, it wasn't all that much money. The farmer was smart enough to see the larger implications and how the ideals that were put forth in the Constitution were being compromised almost literally before the ink dried.
All these ear marks are just paying for votes. When they make legislation or a reason it should be only that. We just seen the covid relief bill where they sent money all around the world even to the enemies of the US and little for the people. Remember it is the peoples money
Exactly. My first thought regarding that pittance to drunken mice was "I wonder what base that was meant to shore up?"
Not funny at all. However it has been going on forever. I worked for Merrill Lynch in the 70's,in the wire room. I was young and new very little of politics back then. I remember having a fit on the floor finding out that the government was issuing funds in the Pork Belly bin for the study of mating habits of teste fly! That was my first lesson on waste in the government. So many things slip through on us even now- that is hard to keep up. Aside from one or two in congress no one seems to care enough to put an end to the waste- much worse than study of mating habits of flies !
Every Time you hear a large amount of money going to some foreign country or for some stupid project you know it is probably money laundering because it is just going back to the people who passed the bill.
Did you work for Merrill Lynch on Connecticut Ave in DC? And back then they were Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith, as I recall.
The government money is the peoples money Biden government took with the covid relief bill which worked out to $6,000 for each person of the people’s money give $1,400 to some people and the rest to special interest group some even the enemies of the US