342 separate economic development programs [and] similar massive duplications. |
As bad as the last five years have been, it's going to get even worse the next five years. |
Budgets are political documents, and this budget will likely have the goal of trying to show a declining deficit without endangering anyone's re-election prospects. |
Congress continues to resist cutting even one program. |
Congress distributes federal grants by politics rather than by merit. |
Congress has no incentive to rein in pork, because pork helps lawmakers get campaign contributions and get re-elected. It is entirely predictable that Congress would create the illusion of reform while retaining the system that allows them to sell government grants for campaign contributions. |
Conservative voters are very disappointed in Congress's record. If lawmakers do not trim entitlement programs, voters will continue to see spending as an issue. |
Director Portman will be inheriting the most dire long-term fiscal outlook we've ever had. The first baby boomers retire in 18 months, and the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid costs are set to explode. On top of that, he'll be dealing with a Congress that's absolutely addicted to runaway spending and pork! |
dump the largest debt in world history into the laps of the next generation. Within a decade, tax increases would need to reach $7,000 per household (a 37 percent tax hike) just to balance the budget. |
Earmarks could be worthy or not, but we still consider it corrupting because lawmakers are deciding who gets a grant. |
Even small-government conservatives believe Washington should prioritize defense, safety and security, and therefore see rescuing New Orleans as a top government priority. |
I generally would still not count that as an earmark, even though it has a similar effect, because it is such a gray area of how specific is too specific when setting eligibility criteria. I obviously oppose those provisions, but I would not classify them the same as spending earmarks that actually list the name. |
It's about time lawmakers sacrifice pork projects that essentially serve as taxpayer-financed re-election advertisements. |
It's easy to practice checkbook compassion. |
It's something we have to decide as a country. What are our priorities? |