Why Senate Republicans Can’t Be Taken Seriously
Written by Sam on May 23rd, 2008WASHINGTON - Congress enacted a massive election-year farm bill Thursday over President Bush’s veto, sending new and bigger subsidies for farmers and more food stamps to help the poor with rising grocery prices.The 82-13 vote in the Senate following a 316-108 vote Wednesday night in the House provided Democrats only their second veto override in Bush’s presidency, but they harvested a constitutional controversy with it.
35 out of 49 Republicans couldn’t resist taking money from the middle and lower classes of America and handing it over to wealthy farmers who are already enjoying soaring incomes. Also stuffed into this bill was an additional $1 billion per year for food stamp welfare handouts, money for alternative energy incentives, millions for Kentucky horse racers, and a bunch of other give aways that have nothing to do with farming.
This is why the Republican Party is not taken seriously anymore by not just conservatives, but independents, fiscal libertarians, and Reagan Democrats. They are not the party of responsible spending. We don’t have a viable one anymore.
These Republicans stood up for fiscal restraint and voted against overriding the President’s veto. And looky, looky! It’s mostly moderates and RINOs. The supposed conservatives of the GOP hopped right on the entitlement bandwagon.
- Bob Bennett - Utah
- Susan Collins - Maine
- Pete Domenici - New Mexico
- John Ensign - Nevada
- Judd Gregg - New Hampshire
- Chuck Hagel - Nebraska
- Jon Kyl - Arizona
- Dick Lugar- Indiana
- Lisa Murkowski - Alaska
- John Sununu - New Hampshire
- George Voinovich - Ohio
They were joined by Democrats Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both of Rhode Island. Jim DeMint (R-SC) voted present, for whatever reason, and Tom Coburn (R-OK), John McCain (R-AZ), Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Barack Obama (D-IL) did not vote.
23
PM
I am glad you pointed out the fact that it was primarily moderate Republicans and two liberal Democrats who opposed this Pork Farm Bill. Also, you should point out the fact that all of them are from the north and west. None of the supposedly conservative southern Republicans voted against the bill. This is another example of the myth of the south being fiscally conservative seeing they have no problem with pork when its heading their way.
24
AM
On Ryan’s point, in fact blue states subsidize red states to the tune of $90 billion each year:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03E4D91730F934A35756C0A9649C8B63
As you said, this myth about these rugged, self-reliant conservatives is a joke — their states are being supported by those of us who are more productive.
24
AM
exactly, the northern states call welfare welfare, while the south calls it agricultural policy.
24
PM
Or, to help the lower income families afford food, they could just repeal all the misguided ethanol subsidies that are redirecting our entire agriculture sector and causing grocery prices to skyrocket.
27
PM
Publius… you are oversimplifying it a tad. The suburban districts basically pay for the urban and rural districts in many states. These areas lean Republican, but are often contested by both sides. Personally, I think the Republicans should wage a campaign of targeting these areas by calling for an end to all the pork that goes to poor rural and urban areas.