According to the Legistorm website he ranks 171st for earmarks our of all senators and representatives. It only lists 13 members of congress who requested no earmarks. Even a dude from American Somoa got $613,000. Link

Shouldn't that read "former Republican Illinois Congressman", subby?

superbeerchan: Shouldn't that read "former Republican Illinois Congressman", subby?

Does it matter, as long as Obama thinks he is the best man for the job?

Here's what I read:

More from the Hopey McChange WOOO WOOO WOOOOOOOOO! WAAAAHBULANCE COMING THROUGH! LOOK OUT! WOOO WOOO WOOOOOOOO! EEEEEEEEEE UHHHHHHHH EEEEEEEE UHHHHHHHHH


It's hard to type out that European siren sound. But that's what I was going for.

superbeerchan: Shouldn't that read "former Republican Illinois Congressman",

Well that makes it OK!

Butthurt neocons are butthurt.

Dancin_In_Anson: Well that makes it OK!

It IS okay, since earmarks account for a very small percentage of expenditures. If we stamped out all earmarks our budget would still royally suck.

Lando Lincoln: It IS okay, since earmarks account for a very small percentage of expenditures. If we stamped out all earmarks our budget would still royally suck.

death by a thousand pin pricks - if this were a bush appointee the left would be howling. that said, i'm really not concerned about this. he's on the appropriations committee, of course he's going to have above average earmarks. i'm more concerned about the fact that he doesn't have a whole lot of experience or expertise with transportation issues and comes from a state run by ethanol.

Have we become so stupid that we have to assume that all earmarks are bad? Or is it possible that there is a big difference between funding a bridge to nowhere and funding needed repairs for crumbling infrastructure that is used by thousands of taxpayers?

Eddie Adams from Torrance: Or is it possible that there is a big difference between funding a bridge to nowhere and funding needed repairs for crumbling infrastructure that is used by thousands of taxpayers?

Earmarks for Idaho unicorn farms are good too. Any time you spend money it can't be a BAD thing, because people get the money, and we all like money.

The problem with earmarks are when there is a quid pro quo behind the money.

also, just as an ironic aside, the watchdog group quoted in this article has been criticized for its links to lobbyists including jack abramoff...

thomps: death by a thousand pin pricks - if this were a bush appointee the left would be howling.

It's not death by a thousand pinpricks. It's death by incredible military expenditures.

If this were a Bush appointee, I'd be scratching my head, wondering why Bush is appointing anyone with only five days left.

Is Hopey McChange the new Chimpy McFlightsuit?

Lando Lincoln: It's not death by a thousand pinpricks. It's death by incredible military expenditures.

If this were a Bush appointee, I'd be scratching my head, wondering why Bush is appointing anyone with only five days left.

as i said in the same post, i'm not overly concerned about this, but i can't stand when people say relatively minor unnecessary spendings don't matter because of another more substantial spending. one doesn't absolve the other. whoever obama chooses to place in charge of transportation, it won't have a nickels worth of effect on the war in iraq - it will have a huge effect on his proposed infrastructure stimulus package.

and if it helps you understand my point about bush, allow me to expand: imagine if bush after winning re-election in 2004 made a similar appointment...

thomps: if this were a bush appointee the left would be howling

Conversely, I'm laughing my ass off.

Came in to see the PITA meter reading "neutral," leaving disappointed.

If only he had run the International Arabian Horse Association instead.

Eddie Adams from Torrance: Have we become so stupid

People voted for Bush... twice...

case closed.

Dancin_In_Anson: superbeerchan: Shouldn't that read "former Republican Illinois Congressman",

Well that makes it OK!

No, but it will hopefully deflect the pavlovian response from the freeper gallery who tend to threadcrap these types of announcements.

So we're hiring someone whose main contribution so far is efficiently spending money... to a job whose job description is basically "spend all the money we give you as efficiently as possible".

I'm appalled!

superbeerchan: No, but it will hopefully deflect the pavlovian response from the freeper gallery who tend to threadcrap these types of announcements.

I'm going to love the crying from the Republicans for the next four, or better yet, EIGHT years.

Who makes Kleenex? Gotta sell my AAPL and buy some KMB...stock bound to skyrocket.

But did he ever judge horses? I can't be properly outraged unless he's qualified.

submitter: Hopey McChange express

The butthurt is strong in this one.
It's like you WANT your president to be and be seen as a failure.

thomps: death by a thousand pin pricks - if this were a bush appointee the left would be howlin

what? Since when have democrats made pork spending an issue, they love them.

submitter: More from the Hopey McChange express: Obama taps former Illinois Congressman notorious for packing legislation with earmarks for donors to direct highway spending projects No matter what Obama does, I am going to go all jihad on him for it.

That's more like what you think, Trigmitter

timmy_the_tooth: Eddie Adams from Torrance: Have we become so stupid

People voted for Bush... twice...

case closed.

Really makes you appreciate blind party loyalty huh?

/baahhhh

obzerver: Really makes you appreciate blind party loyalty huh?

Oh snap!

well at least we know where the bailout $$$ will be going. All the new jobs will be in Illinois.

Let him pick whoever he wants, so long as the guy does as he's told by Obama.

Seriously people, I'm sure there are going to be plenty of juicy little scandals in this administration, but at least let the guy get in his first day of work before you try to pile this crap on him.

El Morro: Seriously people, I'm sure there are going to be plenty of juicy little scandals in this administration, but at least let the guy get in his first day of work before you try to pile this crap on him.

Why should we wait? He isn't.

obzerver: timmy_the_tooth: Eddie Adams from Torrance: Have we become so stupid

People voted for Bush... twice...

case closed.

Really makes you appreciate blind party loyalty huh?

/baahhhh

You would have to know what you were saying for that to be ironic. So, you voted for Bush twice I take it?

SeismicJizzer: what? Since when have democrats made pork spending an issue, they love them.

i think responsible members of congress - on both sides of the aisle - have made irresponsible spending an issue, and it has been a particularly vocal issue of barack obama (albeit due to pressure from the mccain campaign). i think obama recognizes this and that's why the nomination is being held up due to "misplaced paperwork" (ie. further vetting to make sure it's not really an issue). i think that kind of due diligence speaks highly of obama even if it doesn't bode well for lahood

timmy_the_tooth: You would have to know what you were saying for that to be ironic. So, you voted for Bush twice I take it?

Your understanding of "irony" is questionable.

KaponoFor3: Is Hopey McChange the new Chimpy McFlightsuit?

Did you guys totally miss the "tap" part of the headline? Pure Gold.

Listening to both the lefties and the righties on Fark make me want to be ill sometimes. Both of your parties are massively corrupt. They keep power by getting most of the American people to identify with one party or the other, and then having them scream at each other while the party leadership on both sides creates sweetheart deals for one another while ensuring that no other voices are heard.

LessO2: I'm going to love the crying from the Republicans for the next four, or better yet, EIGHT years.

Who makes Kleenex? Gotta sell my AAPL and buy some KMB...stock bound to skyrocket.

Just like I'm going to love watching you and people like you defend any and all choices your party makes no matter how ill advised or stupid.

lunchinlewis: superbeerchan: Shouldn't that read "former Republican Illinois Congressman", subby?

Does it matter, as long as Obama thinks he is the best man for the job?

Grow up. Obama won the election, you need to get over it. If Bush hadn't farked things up so royally (with plenty of help from both sides of the isle) you wouldn't have to make snide comments about "Obamasiah" or soemthing like that. Obama is going to have his period of being coated in teflon, just like every new President does.

I just wish peoplw would wake up and realize that both parties are trying to screw you.

I don't care about the earmarks; that just means he's doing a good job bringing monies back to his district. What I don't approve of is the tit-for-tat campaign contributions for earmark money. Fark that; it's the exact same thing Blago was doing for the senate seat. Obama should throw this guy under the bus.

devildog123: I just wish peoplw would wake up and realize that both parties are trying to screw you.

Feeling pretty Independent today, eh? Or should I say, Fark Independent^TM? Why don't you go vote for McCain then :P

Sybarite: According to the Legistorm website he ranks 171st for earmarks our of all senators and representatives. It only lists 13 members of congress who requested no earmarks. Even a dude from American Somoa got $613,000. Link

If only one of those members that requested none wasn't named John McCain. Hasn't requested one in close to 30 years in congress.

Darconix: It makes no sense for a guy living in rural Idaho to pay for urban infrastructure in Boston. Or for federally-funded art galleries of which he'll literally never come within 500 miles. So yes, all earmarks are bad. They create "special classes" of taxpayer beneficiaries.

This is quite true but only up to the extent of what taxes are classically used for - public services (firemen, cops, education).

Lt. Cheese Weasel: img86.imageshack.us

I mean, really, it's a terrible insult that a kindergartner would use. Chimpy at least references an bungle of Bush's and is comically amusing to picture. Hopey McChange doesn't even mean anything; the right wing pundits have used the words to describe him far more than his actual supporters.

Shaggy_C: devildog123: I just wish peoplw would wake up and realize that both parties are trying to screw you.

Feeling pretty Independent today, eh? Or should I say, Fark IndependentTM? Why don't you go vote for McCain then :P

Wow, glad you read my profile before you posted. I voted for Bob Barr. I've voted Libertarian in every election since 2000 (I was too young to vote before that). I thought John McCain was going to be just as bad as Obama will be.

Lando Lincoln: Dancin_In_Anson: Well that makes it OK!

It IS okay, since earmarks account for a very small percentage of expenditures. If we stamped out all earmarks our budget would still royally suck.

It's that kind of attitude that makes waste pervasive in Washington. If we can't stamp out the corruption in the small items how can we hope to do it for the big stuff like medicare/SS?

Shaggy_C: I don't care about the earmarks; that just means he's doing a good job bringing monies back to his district.

Never mind that it isn't the federal government's/taxpayers' job to fund local projects.

jyoders19: Lando Lincoln: Dancin_In_Anson: Well that makes it OK!

It IS okay, since earmarks account for a very small percentage of expenditures. If we stamped out all earmarks our budget would still royally suck.

It's that kind of attitude that makes waste pervasive in Washington. If we can't stamp out the corruption in the small items how can we hope to do it for the big stuff like medicare/SS?
I can assure you that McCain would not have appointed any earmarxists like LaHood, Hastert, or Obama to his cabinet. The man's entire public career has been a crusade against earmarks.

devildog123: Listening to both the lefties and the righties on Fark make me want to be ill sometimes. Both of your parties are massively corrupt. They keep power by getting most of the American people to identify with one party or the other, and then having them scream at each other while the party leadership on both sides creates sweetheart deals for one another while ensuring that no other voices are heard.

What a novel and productive insight! Could you please follow up with your suggestion for a solution to this.

I mean, it's fun and all to complain that Everybody Is Bad Always, but some of us want to get shiat done too.

GoldSpider: Never mind that it isn't the federal government's/taxpayers' job to fund local projects.

Umm...aside from a few national programs, doesn't all government spending end up funding a local economy in some way or another?

Darconix: If those thousands of taxpayers need to fix their farking bridge, then they should pay for it. It makes no sense for a guy living in rural Idaho to pay for urban infrastructure in Boston.

Good thing MA and many other Blue states pay more in taxes than they get out. Filthy welfare queen conservative states.

devildog123: I just wish peoplw would wake up and realize that both parties are trying to screw you.

And I wish that you doom and gloom, "black and white only" critics would consider the possibility that this politician might just be trying to do the right thing.

tomcatadam: black and white

Imagine that. An Obamessiah supporter instantly goes for the race card.