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Earmark-filled bill passes Congress

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor March 10, 2009 07:40 PM

In the end, most senators held their nose, gulped hard, and voted for a $410 billion bill to keep the federal government running.

The spending measure passed on a voice vote this evening after a motion to cut off debate passed 62-35, by two more votes than necessary.

The bill became a huge political headache for Congress and for President Obama because of days of publicity about 8,000 or so local projects, called pork-barrel by critics.

Obama plans to sign the measure Wednesday, but will also announce steps to limit earmarks, the White House said.

Without apology, Massachusetts lawmakers inserted dozens of earmarks for projects across the state, including $30 million for the Fitchburg commuter rail line and $22 million for an addition to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

But in approving the measure, the Senate did agree with the House to skip an automatic cost-of-living pay increase they otherwise would have received next Jan. 1. Members of Congress make $174,000 a year.

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This is a prime example of what's wrong with this country. A wealthy family with a ton of private fund-raising connections has to use middle-class tax payer dollars to fund a library addition. Seriously, if you were as wealthy as the Kennedys and knew lots and lots of other rich folk, would you have the audacity to go to Congress get public money to fund a library expansion? I understand the Presidential Libraries can contain a wealth of knowledge, but once again, in a recession, is this the best use of our money?

Posted by jeffhenson March 10, 09 08:11 PM
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America: BACK ON TRACK!!!

Posted by Patriots March 10, 09 08:47 PM
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Skipped cost of living pay increase because most likely it would have been negative, therefore, reducing the pay.

Posted by JoeK March 10, 09 10:19 PM
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The most costly off budget earmark of them all is finally being tallied for all to see...The Iraq war. Those who have been cheerleaders for this aggression will now be held accountable, like it or not. 4150+ American deaths and 30,000+ wounded in Iraq, and an est. 1.1 trillion dollars of war debt have been overshadowed by the world banking crisis. The pork barrel portion of this Obama expenditure is tiny compared to the costs of war and USA dead after six years of failed war policies. The Obama budget was mostly pre-spent during the Bush years. History bears out the truth for all to see, without regard to current politics.

Posted by markeyboy March 10, 09 10:51 PM
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So much for Obama's campaign promise to get rid of earmarks in Congressional bills. How many more of his campaign promises will he 'excuse away' during his term in office?

Posted by bert f. March 10, 09 11:10 PM
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"most senators held their nose,"

Is this editorializing or reporting? In the end, and in the beginning, and in the middle, most senators also had scads of earmarks, with the Republicans having more than their fair share, considering their ostensible, though late-found, dismay ("Here are your winnings, Capt. Renaud.)

Posted by EdA March 10, 09 11:28 PM
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'most senators held their nose, gulped hard, and voted'
YAH RIGHT.
More like 'they drooled and sharpened their knives, on another spendilus bill'

Tax and spend liberals are literally going to bankrupt this country in less then 100 days.

Posted by G March 10, 09 11:28 PM
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The Kennedy Family is too proud to allow themselves to join the aggressive panhandlers that the Menino administration is threatening to crack down on.

Thank God, with the help of the fellow members of the Massachusetts delegation, the millionaires in the Kennedy family won't have to reach into their own pockets to fund an addition to a Presidential Library; a library that was originally paid for by PRIVATE contributions!

Is Ted dead yet?

Posted by REMITROM March 10, 09 11:39 PM
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