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    Outside the Beltway: Luaus in Illinois? Sure, When Pork Is What’s for Dinner!

    $1,100 for Hawaiian party props and luaus? $78,066 to promote quail? $6,500 for a 4,000-gallon live bass fish tank? $10,000 for a Batman party? $353,165 to fund car racing?

    Congratulations, Illinoisans, you’re funding all this and more with your hard-earned taxpayer dollars, courtesy of your state government in Springfield. More

    Congress Stuffs Its Own Stocking

    America’s biggest spenders have chosen a wonderful Christmas gift for themselves: More of our money. Last week, deficit spending reached a new extreme. This week, Congress gave our federal government an 8% pay (spending) raise. Next week, they plan to borrow almost $2-trillion more to keep their spending spree alive. … More

    One U.S. Senate Is Enough

    Even before Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) passed away last week, Congress approved a $5.8 million “planning and design” earmark for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate, which would include creating a full-size replica of the Senate chamber. It would be built at the University of Massachusetts, adjacent to … More

    When Pigs Fly

    A sign of the apocalypse or Washington business as usual? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzNj0Vobss[/youtube]

    Associated Press: Obama Rhetoric, Reality Clash

    The AP reports, you decide: WASHINGTON – Barack Obama’s optimistic campaign rhetoric has crashed headlong into the stark reality of governing. In office two months, he has backpedaled on an array of issues, gingerly shifting positions as circumstances dictate while ducking for political cover to avoid undercutting his credibility and … More

    Earmarks Encourage Spending and That’s No Lie

    The left is growing frustrated with the success conservatives are having in framing the omnibus spending bill as classic wasteful government spending. Pushing back, the Center for American Progress claims that Cutting Earmarks Doesn’t Save Money and Roll Call’s Stan Collender writes: “Saying That Cutting Earmarks Will Reduce Spending Is … More

    Morning Bell: It’s About the Spending

    Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) ought to be commended for exposing the left’s commitment to reforming the way Washington does business as nothing more than empty rhetoric. Last night Coburn forced votes on two amendments to the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill that forced liberal Senators to approve of $10 million … More

    Pork Chalks Up Two More Victories

    Yet another controversy involving Congressional earmarks is brewing in Washington. This time around a lobbying firm, the PMA group (raided by the FBI in November), is accused of making fraudulent donations to members of Congress in exchange for federal pork directed toward their clients. Given mounting news reports of scandal … More

    Stimulus Turf Wars

    The crowd eager for a handout from the upcoming economic stimulus bill is growing. On December 8th, the US Conference of Mayors presented their wish list. The report, entitled “Mainstreet Economic Recovery,” lists 11,391 local infrastructure projects with a price tag totaling $73.2 billion. Unfortunately, the list is basically a … More

    Keep Earmarks Out of the Upcoming Economic Stimulus Bill

    Another economic stimulus bill is imminent, and early reports put the potential price-tag around $700 billion. With such an astronomical figure being considered, it is no surprise the special interest lobbyists have taken notice. Everyone wants part of the latest government hand out. From bailouts for states in financial trouble … More