Columbus Dispatch, your self-righteousness stinks

The Columbus Dispatch today (3/14/09) in an editorial at this link pontificated mightily about Congressional earmarks. “Despite brave words about reform, unexamined earmark spending continues unabated,” it said.

Then quickly (third paragraph) implied one of the bad guys responsible for this “omnibus spending measure” with “more than 8,500 earmarks” was President Obama, a Democrat.

Then the Dispatch burned up several paragraphs about the injustices to be found in this particular pork patch, mentioning the follies of a California representative, a Democrat, and an Iowa Senator, a Democrat. Then, in a flourish of self-righteous anger, says: “The public back home should be telling their Congress members: Enough already. This pork process stinks -- and we already know why.”

What the Dispatch failed to mention was that its favorite son, Ohio Senator Georgie Voinovich, a Republican - who loudly and self-righteously opposed the omnibus spending bill - was among leaders of the congressional porker pack with $13.5 million in earmarks attached to this bill.

This is a textbook example of how media, big and small, fail readers, fail taxpayers, and fail America: they do not, they will not, expose their golden-haired friends to voters, not so long as they belong to the right political party.

The public back home should be telling their newspaper editors - and the Dispatch editor in particular - enough, already. Your newspaper and your lousy self-righteousness and your putrid, slanted reportage stinks - and we have known why for a long time.

Newark Ohio is well represented in the rape of taxpayers

King Bush's so-called "bailout" is virtually a done deal among Washington's crooks, cronies and liars, including those who represent Newark Ohio.

Your government is in the late stages of stealing $700 billion and giving it to Wall Street. But it couldn't get past the Senate until $1.7 billion of pork was added - including $6 million for manufacturers of kids' wooden arrows, $192 million for rum producers and a bunch of other bribes. You get the idea, but if you want to get really PO'd, read PIGGY POLS IN HOG HEAVEN WITH PORK-PACKED PACT by the NY Post

What so far has been omitted from media reports that I've seen is a curious bit of irony revealed in one of the comments to that article: "KC-Hollywood" wrote:

"You know what is really ironic? The fact that both Obama and McCain have said they will change Washington and stop earmarks and pork barreled spending. Then in stunning, predictable form, they both are VOTING YES for the largest pork barreled, earmarked behemoth of apocalyptic proportions. So much for changing anything. They just proved their word means NOTHING. First chance to prove they are against earmarks and pork spending and they EPIC FAIL THE TEST."

Both Ohio Senators Voinovich and Brown voted for this rape - as might be expected from men of their calibre - as did our U.S. Representative Zack Space, when the House voted earlier. Voter protests may change his mind when they vote again, perhaps today.

EDIT: Zack Space and Pat Tiberi voted for the "bailout" when it passed the House today. Space's "bailout" vote follows closely on his vote supporting oil-company demands for off-shore drilling. As with others we've sent to Washington who started out as Mr. Clean Jeans, Space is starting to smell like one of the good old boys. These are things to remember next time we vote.

Earmarks: the Washington hog trough

Among the most important freedoms that citizens gave away to government is control over the money they earn. Most is sent to Washington bureaucracy where it is disbursed in ways that would be amusing if it were someone else's money.

"Earmarking" our money for specific projects and political interests is a budgetary end-run which is commonly practiced and evermore expensive.

SourceWatch encyclopedia says earmarks "are typically handed out as favors in exchange for votes on key pieces of legislation by party leaders and appropriations chairmen."

Ohio legislators, as a group, are doing their share at the hog trough - $305 million this year, according to an Associated Press report in yesterday's Advocate.

Another report in the Columbus Dispatch yesterday told how Voinovich, Ohio's own "chief deficit hawk," did his part to balance the budget by making off in the night with $18.7 million for his folks back home in Ohio. He also co-sponsored another $171 million for other states.

Let the meaning of "oink" start to rule Ohio's voting booths.

It doesn't matter to Washington how we vote

Though the message to Washington was loud and clear during last election, neither Congress nor the President listened; in particular they have not acted to bring a close to Bush's Vietnam.

Ohio's own George Voinovich voted against a measure that would have resulted in reduction of U.S. forces in Iraq. Georgie must think we won't find out how he voted or he thinks we won't remember his rebellion against constituents by next election.

Meanwhile, Congress scored a record-low approval rating of 11 percent in a poll released last week.

Voinovich votes against bringing troops home

Ohio Senator George Voinovich failed to "put his vote where his mouth was" on the question of bringing troops home from Bush's New Vietnam.

Read the Advocate report here.