McCain Blames Earmarks For The Current Financial ‘Difficulties’

[one...two...tree 2,762]

When talking about the economy, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) regularly resorts to talking about one of his favorite subjects: pork barrel spending projects known as earmarks. "The first big-spending pork-barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. I will make them famous, and you will know their names," McCain constantly says.

During an interview with CBS's Katie Couric yesterday, McCain said that the current financial crisis "is of the utmost seriousness and a crisis of enormous proportions." But sticking to his mantra, McCain strangely cited earmarks as "one of the major reasons why we're having difficulties":

McCAIN: [W]e've got to take tough decisions and one of them is government spending by the way.

One of the major reasons why we're having difficulties is we let spending get completely out of control — earmark and pork-barrel projects

. Senator Obama asked for over $900 million in earmarks pork-barrel projects,

that's not part of the answer thats part of the problem

.

But of course, earmarks have very little to do with the current financial crisis — one that is actually rooted in bad mortgages and crashing credit markets. But that doesn't seem to stop McCain from thinking it does. In fact, this isn't the first time McCain has blamed earmarks for seemingly unrelated calamities:

–

Hurricane Katrina

: "[McCain] places 'some of those responsibilities on the Congress of the United States, which funded pork barrel projects that were not only not needed and

certainly not as important as some of the projects that were needed [in New Orleans]

"

–

Minnesota

Bridge Collapse

: "The bridge in Minneapolis didn't collapse because there wasn't enough money," McCain told reporters while campaigning in Pennsylvania. "

The bridge in Minneapolis collapsed because so much money was spent on wasteful, unnecessary pork-barrel projects

."

McCain was forced to walk back his comments on the Minnesota bridge after the state's Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty said "citizens should not jump to conclusions about the bridge collapse."

McCain also likes to say that eliminating earmarks will balance the budget but, in fact, that would do little to balance the budget — let alone save the entire economy. But as McCain himself has said, "economics is not something I've understood as well as I should."

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/25/mccain-crisis-earmarks/

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Father Phleger?

Rev. Wright ?

Bill Ayres ?

Rezco ?

Liberals!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Claiming that addressing merely 1/150th of the federal budget - which is what the earmarks amount to - is even a start to address the issues we're facing just shows how little McSame understands the magnitude of the crisis. It's not even a drop in the bucket.

[IAMX 3,055]

What the hell? What does earmarks and Minnesota's bridge have to do with credit and banks?

At least he's fully demonstrating that indeed he knows nothing about economics.

[Dan J 277]

What the hell? What does earmarks and Minnesota's bridge have to do with credit and banks?

At least he's fully demonstrating that indeed he knows nothing about economics.

Yup, earmarks are at least somewhat good for the economy, even if they are not decided/handled in the best way. They usually go to infrastructure projects and other things that generate jobs and add to the community.

Overall earmarks are a very small part of the budget.

[AlHayatZween 2]

But here is my question:

Last night in the debate he kept repeating how much $$ Obama requested in earmarks, and how much he is going to request for various programs...

Why didn't Obama stick it to him ?! That's what got me mad...

[peejay 327]

McCAIN: [W]e've got to take tough decisions and one of them is government spending by the way. One of the major reasons why we're having difficulties is we let spending get completely out of control — earmark and pork-barrel projects. Senator Obama asked for over $900 million in earmarks pork-barrel projects, that's not part of the answer thats part of the problem.

I watched the debate and I did not walk away after it was over with the impression that McCain was blaming the current problems in the financial markets on pork-barrel spending. Geez...some folks need to take a refresher course in reading comprehension, or in this case, get a cue tip and clean the sh*t out of your ears so you can hear.

The bloated federal deficit and the debacle in the financial markets are different animals altogether. One is in the public sector and the other is in the private sector. And if the clowns in congress and GWB have their way, the federal deficit will soon be merging with the private sector in the form of a huge bailout. I'm not quite sold on whether the taxpayer should be stuck with this.

Anyway, this has nothing to do with pork and McCain never said it did. Geez...talk about twisting words! Pork does contribute to a culture of deficit spending and corruption...which is what McCain said.

If no big fan of either of the candidates, but it irks me when people take a statement and twist it out of context for bogus political mileage.

[metta 0]

When talking about the economy, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) regularly resorts to talking about one of his favorite subjects: pork barrel spending projects known as earmarks. "The first big-spending pork-barrel earmark bill that comes across my desk, I will veto it. I will make them famous, and you will know their names," McCain constantly says.

During an interview with CBS's Katie Couric yesterday, McCain said that the current financial crisis "is of the utmost seriousness and a crisis of enormous proportions." But sticking to his mantra, McCain strangely cited earmarks as "one of the major reasons why we're having difficulties":

McCAIN: [W]e've got to take tough decisions and one of them is government spending by the way.

One of the major reasons why we're having difficulties is we let spending get completely out of control — earmark and pork-barrel projects

. Senator Obama asked for over $900 million in earmarks pork-barrel projects,

that's not part of the answer thats part of the problem

.

But of course, earmarks have very little to do with the current financial crisis — one that is actually rooted in bad mortgages and crashing credit markets. But that doesn't seem to stop McCain from thinking it does. In fact, this isn't the first time McCain has blamed earmarks for seemingly unrelated calamities:

–

Hurricane Katrina

: "[McCain] places 'some of those responsibilities on the Congress of the United States, which funded pork barrel projects that were not only not needed and

certainly not as important as some of the projects that were needed [in New Orleans]

"

–

Minnesota

Bridge Collapse

: "The bridge in Minneapolis didn't collapse because there wasn't enough money," McCain told reporters while campaigning in Pennsylvania. "

The bridge in Minneapolis collapsed because so much money was spent on wasteful, unnecessary pork-barrel projects

."

McCain was forced to walk back his comments on the Minnesota bridge after the state's Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty said "citizens should not jump to conclusions about the bridge collapse."

McCain also likes to say that eliminating earmarks will balance the budget but, in fact, that would do little to balance the budget — let alone save the entire economy. But as McCain himself has said, "economics is not something I've understood as well as I should."

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/09/25/mccain-crisis-earmarks/

When Mccain mentioned $900 earmarks in his 900 days in senate, Obama looked like deer caught in the headlights.

No wonder, he probably was thinking of the earmarks for Michelle's employer the University of Chicago.

In 2006, Obama Requested That The University Of Chicago Receive $1 Million To Support Its Construction Of The New Hospital Pavilion." "For more than 75 years, the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH) has provided state of the art medical care on the South Side of Chicago. UCH is one of the largest Medicaid providers in Illinois, and it provided more than $90 million in uncompensated care for Medicare and Medicaid patients this past year. To continue providing the best care for patients from all walks of life, UCH is proceeding with the construction of a new 600,000 square foot facility that will ensure their ability to provide the best care for patients well into the future. Funding will go towards assisting the construction and equipping a new hospital pavilion that will increase the Hospitals' clinical capacity by over one-third." (Obama For America Website, Accessed 7/23/08)

Her pay jumped from $150 K to >$300 K. Why?

While At The Medical Center, Michelle Obama Was Put In Charge Of Implementing Programs That Helped The Center Cut Costs By Diverting Its Low-Income And Underinsured Patients To Community Health Centers:

source

One Of Obama’s Responsibilities Was Guiding Low-Income Patients Away From The Emergency Room And Into Primary Care Facilities. “And Michelle Obama is a vice president of The University of Chicago Medical Center, where one of her signature responsibilities is guiding low-income patients away from the emergency room and into primary care elsewhere. While South Side activists praise her program, Barack Obama’s union supporters have been critical of the management of many large hospitals for how they deal with charity care for the poor.” (Christi Parsons, Bruce Japsen and Bob Secter, “Barack’s Rock: Michelle Obam

Edited September 27, 2008 by metta

[IAMX 3,055]

While At The Medical Center, Michelle Obama Was Put In Charge Of Implementing Programs That Helped The Center Cut Costs By Diverting Its Low-Income And Underinsured Patients To Community Health Centers:

This sounds an awful lot like something a Republican would do. Especially with their ridiculous welfare programs that pretty much strip time a single mother would have with her daughter.

For preaching about caring for the poor, this is indeed a pretty pathetic way of showing it. However, nothing indicates McCain would care any more than this.

It's pretty much established both parties care far more for the rich than the poor and especially the middle class.

Edited September 27, 2008 by SRVT

[IAMX 3,055]

Wups, meant son or daughter.

[Deliverance08 0]

done with USCIS.