House GOP cutting Democrats' projects from big spending bill

[Judi Lynn]

House GOP cutting Democrats' projects from big spending bill

ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer Friday, November 7, 2003
(11-07) 13:57 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

House Democrats will get no projects for their home districts in a huge education and health spending bill because none of them voted for an initial version of the measure last summer, majority Republicans say.

Unapologetic GOP leaders say the decision reflects standard procedure in Congress, where uncooperative lawmakers can lose out on money for roads, clinics and other prized items for the folks back home.

"We're doing business as usual," House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said Friday. "If you don't support a bill, you have no right to say what's in the bill."

But furious Democrats say the move would be an unprecedented retaliatory blow at an entire political party. They say Democrats voted their conscience against a $138 billion measure they said would shortchange schools and other high-priority programs at a time when Republicans have cut taxes for wealthy Americans. (snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/07/national1657EST0698.DTL

[Gin]

1. Pride goeth before the fall.....I hope I am around to see the cockroach

flattened.

[qanda]

2. What is going on?

eom

[snippy]

16. The republican playbook is from 1930's Germany.

[Skittles]

3. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING

WE NOW HAVE ONE-PARTY RULE, FOLKS.

[forgethell]

4. The Republicans are right.

This is the way politics is played, but there will be other games. In the meantime, these representatives can use this to stir up their constituents.

[NewJerseyDem]

6. Typically, the appropriations process is bipartisan

Usually, this type of politics isn't brought into consideration when handing out pork, but Washington has grown more partisan recently. It is just part of the usually bipartsian Ralph Regula's attempt to become Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in 2005 when Bill Young is forced to step down. A lot of people think that he won't get it, but he'll be doing anything Tom DeLay wants him to do for the next year.

[AWD]

12. Yep...

A lot of people think that he won't get it, but he'll be doing anything Tom DeLay wants him to do for the next year.

And I'll be right behind him, exposing every sleazy thing he does.

Ralph will rue the day he ever heard my name.

[forgethell]

14. It has gotten more partisan

no question about that. But the Rs are in control. so Ds have toknow what will happen. Just remember, what goes around, comes around.

[Hawkeye-X]

5. That also includes cutting the 9/11 support fund

and AWD is already making this a huge issue against his opponent, and I helped him realize that the WTC is Jerrold Nadler's district, and will make it a nuclear issue for Regala to go down like a cheap $1 whore that he is...

Hawkeye-X

[NewJerseyDem]

7. I think you're wrong

They wouldn't cut the 9/11 fund. There is no mention of this in the articles. First of all, the 9/11 fund isn't pork. That is what is being cut, not all funding. Also, the senate has $450 million to spend and they can spend some of their pork for projects in democratic areas. I don't see how it matters if the WTF is in Nadler's district. 9/11 has little to do with Labor, HHS and Education spending.

What does matter, is that most inner city districts won't be getting special projects while suburban districts will get the money because they have republican congressmen.

[AWD]

9. Research on that still pending...

...part of the bill was supposed to earmark money that is 9/11 related. Not directly related to the WTC, but any money set aside to replace fire trucks, help with counseling, money to build a memorial.

Some of this could be earmarked from the appropriations bill, but I haven't seen exactly what.

But the research on that has not come back from the DCCC.

Either way, this is my opponent doing this, and I will pound him on it from every angle.

[AWD]

10. Not the support fund...

....but possibly 9/11-related funds.

Additional stuff that is not directly going to cleanup or rebuilding, but for additional stuff not covered by any previous promise of funds.

[BuckeFushe]

8. Payback is a bitch

I bet not one more of Shrub's judicial nominees gets approved, and I bet the screws get turned on every bill that comes down the pike. For better or worse, this is war, and the government is going to grind to a halt.

[AWD]

11. Help get the word out!

And help get the man responsible REMOVED from Congress!

My opponent, Ralph Regula, is the man who has threatened to block all earmarked funding from Democratic districts.

Help me defeat Regula by donating to my campaign!

PayPal - [e-mail] is the account
Snail-mail check - Jeff Seemann For Congress, 5526 12th Street NW, Canton Ohio 44708

Yes, I know I'm shamelessly pimping for donations...but I am a politician now. We do that.

Please help remove this "congressman" who is supposed to represent you and get someone in office who WILL represent you. Me!

[politicat]

13. Sigh. I Think they've worn out my surpriser.

I'm just not surprised by it. It's "You didn't help us make the cake, you didn't help us hide the file in the cake, so we aren't going to let you lick the bowl."

And the local dems will take the beatings when their local freeways are in rubble, their schools are condemned, and their kids are reading from library books where the Soviet Union is still in power.

[1songbird]

15. This needs national attention.

How much more of this can we stand. This should be a sign to people that we essentially have a one-party system and the danger this causes. The kids in the inner cities desperately need funding for suffering schools. This should show how very EVIL these people truly are. I don't understand how people can align themselves with these Repuglican bastards

[snippy]

17. The DNC needs to organize a response to this.

Every democratic member of Congress, every democratic Senator, every democratic governor, every democratic mayor, and every democratic candidate for any of these offices, need to give interviews to local, not national, media about this. The interview should focus on the state and local consequences of this type of decision. They should avoid the temptation to describe the republicans as the foul filth they are. They should avoid the temptation to describe this as the vile and evil exercise of power that it is. They should focus on just the consequences of this and allow people to come to their own conclusions.

Tens of millions of decent Americans will reject the republican party over this if they learn of it.