Stupak Kickback - Funding for 3 airports in his district

[DesiPower]

Craig, just because one party did it doesn't make it right. And I am the first to admit that Republicans abuse these kinds of pork barrel projects the same as Democrats. The fact is, it needs to stop. If a project doesn't have enough justification to pass on its own merits, it needs to be dropped or funded elsewhere. Period.

This, and that didn't cost me a dime

 

[Slick5150]

How about we go back to the original post in this thread, which is completely ridiculous to begin with?

I can't stand Bart Stupak, but those grants were awarded by the FAA based on a competitive grant process that had been decided weeks ago. Teh airports themselves applied for it, had to get vetted, and ultimately were awarded based on a selection committee.

To say this was some sort of payoff is completely ridiculous. (granted, it's also ridiculous for politicians to put out press releases announcing funding that they had nothing to do with getting, but whatever).

 

[Darwin333]

While we're waiting, let's hear you on the Republican payoffs for Medicare Part D.

You can start with the bill's handler, who then quit Congress and took a position as a healthcare indutry's head of lobbying for $2 million a year.

Guess that's slipped by you - now you can say your position on the other side.

You mean Billy Tauzin, who spent half of his career as a Democrat before switching to Republican so that he could keep his seat in a district that had been becoming more and more conservative over the years? Of course that probably isn't relevant in your mind since it doesn't play well to the "but they did it first!".

With that said, I assume your point is that you can purchase the vote of both parties equally? I am sure you understand why the most recent of those bribes would be at the forefront of the conversation. I think the bribes in the pat are just as bad as the ones today but we were sold all kinds of "change". What we got is exactly the same as the Republicans, along with their supporters who defend their teams dirty bullshit just like the Republicans.

You guys are no better than those you despise. If you believe half the stuff you say about the Republicans how are you not disgusted with your own party? Do you hold your nose when you defend their disgusting actions and most importantly, do the ends justify the means?

 

[Darwin333]

This, and that didn't cost me a dime

Oh yes it did.

You don't think he got that job because he was good looking do you? The day after he quit Congress he had a 2.5mil a year job lobbying for PHaRma. No big deal right? Just two months prior Tauzin played a huge roll in the passage of Medicare Prescription Drug Bill, do you really think those things are unrelated?

Its still costing you to this day, and since the Dems and Obama have bent over for the drug industry it will continue to cost us a hellofa lot more than it should. To be fair, the Republicans bent over first but now the Dems are continuing to do the same (after screaming to high heaven at the time). Isn't it ironic, one thing that is bipartisan in Washington is allowing the drug companies to rape the US Government and consumers.

 

[MotF Bane]

Isn't it amusing how so many of these debates come down to something that we all really should have learned in kindergarten: 2 wrongs do not make a right. Republicans doing things they know are wrong and they scream about when the Democrats do them and Democrats doing things they know are wrong and they scream about when Republicans do not make the wrong right.

Craig seems to have missed that lesson.

 

[heyheybooboo]

How about we go back to the original post in this thread, which is completely ridiculous to begin with?

I can't stand Bart Stupak, but those grants were awarded by the FAA based on a competitive grant process that had been decided weeks ago. Teh airports themselves applied for it, had to get vetted, and ultimately were awarded based on a selection committee.

To say this was some sort of payoff is completely ridiculous. (granted, it's also ridiculous for politicians to put out press releases announcing funding that they had nothing to do with getting, but whatever).

Ding! Ding! Ding!

If Stupak got 'bought' the 'payout' will be down the road.

As far as the FAA grant program, the best I can tell it's funding level has been 'frozen' at an annual level of around $3.5 billion/yr since at least 2002. It appears to maintain a high level of performance.

So, I say we only cut it 7.5%




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[Moonbeam]

Good, we need stimulus and jobs and airports are good for that. Four would have been better. I hope airports get closed in Republican districts. My creed of personal responsibility tells me you should get punished for being an asshole.

 

[Modelworks]

Many knew that voting for this bill would cost them re-election so why not pull out all the stops and just go wild, who cares what people say about you if you are on your way out.

 

[werepossum]

Payoffs aren't surprising, as this is the way business is done in D.C. There would be more for this bill as this is the single largest transfer of power in recent decades, but in Washington anything worth doing is worth buying Congress critters to do.