Oink Oink - Pork Barrel Spending at its finest

[Biker]

Although the article (http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-07-05-candidates-funding_N.htm) is talking about the candidates and coming clean on how much they've requested this year for earmarks, it really goes much deeper and shows just how much of an issue this is.

And here's one of the reasons why Clinton will never, ever make it to the White House. Notice how her office just ignores the request to see how much she's asked for in earmarks? Further proof that the Dems have no intention of changing how things are run.

[Techie2000]

Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) were among the leaders of the effort to criticize Democrats for keeping earmarks secret and refusing to allow the projects to be challenged on the floor.

“Let’s have a way to evaluate those earmarks. Our constituents deserve to know before that vote takes place rather than after that bill comes out of conference committee,” Blackburn said.

But they had already turned down requests from newspaper reporters in their home states for a list of the earmarks they were requesting.

“We have a policy of letting the appropriations process unfold before releasing information about who received federal funding,” Blackburn told her local paper. <a href="http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/following-floor-battle-members-release-lists-of-earmark-requests-2007-06-19.html">Read more</a>. It's interesting...

[Lovehound]

And here's one of the reasons why Clinton will never, ever make it to the White House.
I just hope you don't have to eat crow for that statement because I'll probably be enjoying a plate of that myself. Actually my respect for the American voters is such that I expect you and I will be dining together (figuratively) after the next election.

Anybody for crow?

[ethics]

I think she will be the next Prez here. Like it or not. There's my prediction for now. :P

[Fiona]

Oh god really? :eek: I mean cool for women- but- ACK! :holyshit: :wah:

*can't stand the reality. Goes back to aforementioned healthy state of denial! :noise:

[Biker]

I think she will be the next Prez here. Like it or not. There's my prediction for now. :P

Honestly? This country isn't ready yet. They'll elect Obama before Hillary.

[ethics]

I think she will take you by surprise, but that's just my opinion.

[Lovehound]

I think she will be the next Prez here. Like it or not. There's my prediction for now. :P
Actually, that's what I implied in my earlier post. IOW I agree with you completely.

The war in Iraq is going to continue into the next presidential campaign because there is no possible way to win the war, nobody will build a consensus to pull out, and because the Democrats are going to make noises like they want the war to end, but you can be damned sure they don't want it to end until AFTER the election. Because of the war the Republicans will lose the election, and whoever runs on the Democratic ticket will win.

Hillary is the obvious Democratic front runner and IMO her only serious competition is Obama. (Forget the Republicans, they are non-starters.) IF Obama's race is not an issue (there are many Americans who would NEVER vote for a black person), I believe that the obvious ticket is Hillary for president (appeals to liberals, appeals to women who are the majority of voters) and Obama as VP (appeals to liberals, appeals to blacks), so I think it's likely that the Democratic ticket will be Clinton/Obama.

That's my prediction, but it's an obvious one so I don't consider this to be any kind of clever thinking on my part. I hate that this is not how I want things to play out, but I think that events have already progressed to the point that this outcome is almost inevitable.

I probably won't vote in this election. I refuse to vote for Hillary, I refuse to vote for Obama, and I doubt the Republicans will come up with any alternative that I will feel comfortable voting for.

[ethics]

Actually, that's what I implied in my earlier post. IOW I agree with you completely.

I know, I was supporting your prediction. :)

[Lovehound]

No, it was your prediction and I'm supporting yours! :)

Jeez, I hate that we are both probably right about the election outcome. However, the Republicans will probably love it because after a year or two of Hillary we will probably all be missing George W. Bush (i.e. out of the frying pan and into the fire).

What did America do to deserve this???



(Answer: ti pots ot gnihton did ew [backwards])

[ethics]

Yep, you nailed it.

[joseftu]

so I think it's likely that the Democratic ticket will be Clinton/Obama.
I hope you're right. That's an unbeatable ticket, likely to win by a huge margin. We'll be far, far, better off with that team in the White House than we've been for years! (and it will guarantee at least eight, probably sixteen, years of Democratic Presidency).

[Biker]

I highly doubt that. Hillary doesn't want the job for "honorable" reasons. She wants it for the power. She's no better than the rest of the idiots who occupy seats on the Hill, and in some cases, is much worse.

[jfcjrus]

I think she will be the next Prez here. Like it or not. There's my prediction for now. :P

I hope you're right. That's an unbeatable ticket, likely to win by a huge margin. We'll be far, far, better off with that team in the White House than we've been for years! (and it will guarantee at least eight, probably sixteen, years of Democratic Presidency).

Oh yea, well here's MY prediction.

If Hillary is ever elected President of the United States of America, ALL cherished pets in the land will puke on the household remote control.
Because, with that act they'll have demonstrated more common sense and awareness than their owners!

Regards,

[Lovehound]

Joe, the very last thing I want is the Democrats in power for the next 16 years, which would only equal the Republicans in power for the next 16 years.

What I want is for people to quit being cattle and start thinking for themselves instead of mindlessly voting the party ticket.

However my wants don't enter into my predicting who I think is most likely to win. It's about 500 days before the election and many things can happen between now and then, but if nothing radical happens then I expect Hillary to be the Democratic presidential candidate, and unless the Republicans pick a dramatically different candidate then the Democrats will win and Hillary will be our president... And Bill will be first lady! :)

Bill could run again, right? ;)

This is like watching a big traffic accident. You can tell what's going to happen but it's too late to do anything about it because momentum and inertia have come into play. All the big pieces are in motion towards the intersection and there's damned sure going to be a huge impact.

My only uncertainty is whether Obama will be the Veep. He might sit out and hope the Democrats lose so he can have another shot in 2012. Or maybe he'll go with Hillary and put his own hopes on 2016.

I wonder how he will like working under a woman. ;)


Jfcjrus, if Hillary wins I'll be right there joining your dog and mine in puking on the remote control.

[mikepd]

So my med problems have made me delusional but I'll counter your Clinton/Obama with a Giuliani/Thompson.

Anyone but Clinton and Obama needs to get back into the kitchen for more seasoning as he is not ready yet. John Howard is this country's ally and not Bush's.

[Stiofán]

Ethics flops more than a small mouthed bass sitting at the bottom of the boat.

[ethics]

Flops? I am not FOR Hillary, no way. Just saying she has more of a shot than many give her credit for.

[Lovehound]

Flops? I am not FOR Hillary, no way. Just saying she has more of a shot than many give her credit for.

Anybody who doesn't consider Hillary a contender is due for a rude shock. Barring unforseen events I don't see how she could lose. I'm not sure how the "she's a woman" backlash will play (particularly since women often prefer male candidates, "he's cute!"), but it's no secret that I (and evidently Leon) predict she will be the winner.

I hope Leon is wrong!!! ;)

[ethics]

Leon hopes Leon is wrong too! :)

[Lovehound]

Leon hopes Leon is wrong too! :)
Greg hopes that both Greg and Leon are wrong.

Leon and I share a common trait. We don't let our wishes get in the way of rational reasoning and in the way of assessing the future possibilities of what the worst case might be. Neither of us is up to self-delusion and wishing so much that our vision of the future could possibly be in conflict with the most rational expectation of how they might turn out.

I'm reminded of the guy who jumped off the Empire State Building:

"90 floors and everything is okay."

"80 floors and everything is okay."

"70 floors and everything is okay..." :)

[Sacchiridites]

Meanwhile, McCain is taking the low road and still campaigning without some money and some staff.

Campaign woes overshadow McCain's speech (http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-07-13-84891926_x.htm) : His remarks were overshadowed by questions about the upheaval in his campaign; he accepted the resignations of his two top campaign aides and watched other senior staffers follow them out the door, installed a new campaign manager, laid off dozens of workers because of money problems and disclosed that the campaign is nearly broke. McCain said he took responsibility for the struggles, saying: "It's my campaign ... You take responsibility when you're in charge."
McCain's campaign raised $25 million in the first half of the year, but has spent nearly all of it. By Sunday, the campaign will report that it has $2 million cash on hand but more than $1 million in outstanding debt, according to officials. They say McCain could end up having as little as a couple hundred thousand dollars available as he tries to revitalize his campaign.

I wonder if the "underdog" approach is going to work on this one.