Graham Vows To 'Tie Senate In Knots' Over $50K Left Out Of Budget Deal

[meegbear]

A Republican U.S. senator says he'll shut down the Senate because the budget deal in which Republicans demanded and got billions of dollars in spending cuts wipes out $50,000 -- that's right $50K -- for his home state.

Not all Republicans were celebrating Monday about the fine print of the $38.5 billion in cuts House Republicans managed to wrangle in last week's 11th-hour budget showdown. Tea Party loyalists who wanted tens of billions more cut from this year's spending were shaking their heads, and at least one senator was lamenting a budget omission he said would hit his state's economy hard.

In fact, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was down right incensed over the decision not to include a mere $50,000 for an Army Corps of Engineers study on deepening the Port of Charleston in his home state and vowed to "tie the Senate in knots" by holding up Obama administration nominations.

Graham started a string of angry tweets about the omission early Monday. By the end of the day, he had held a press conference on the issue in Charleston, S.C., and was blaming the Obama administration for failing to include the funding in its budget proposal released in February, arguing that 260,000 jobs are tied to the port.

"Obama Admin made a bad mistake not putting money for CHS port in their budget proposal," he wrote.

"No nominations go forward in Senate until we address CHS port," he tweeted, noting that the provision was not an earmark and applied to a dozen ports across the U.S.

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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/graham-vows-to-tie-senate-in-knots-over-50k-left-out-of-budget-deal.php?ref=fpblg

[dkf]

1. 260,000 jobs are dependent on $50,000 in funding?

Doesn't sound right to me.

The hypocrisy is amazing though.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Supposedly...

...this study will determine that there will be a need to expand the Port of Charleston, and THAT will be the 260,000 jobs he speaks of. Of course, what he doesn't tell anyone is that the expansion will cost hundreds of millions of federal dollars down the road.

[dkf]

8. Nice exclusion.

Guess he hasn't realized we are broke.

[hfojvt]

9. you'd almost think if it was that important

that the city of Charleston would pony up the $50,000 itself. Or maybe even the State of SC. Heck, I was almost thinking Graham could pay for it himself, but he's only worth between $400,000 and $1.7 million.

But $50,000 seems kinda cheap for a big study, so maybe other groups are already kicking in a share. I think our own water department kicked in something like $10,000 to a $500,000 study of Missouri river degradation.

[Jim__]

11. Sounds like non-union jobs. - n/t

[BeyondGeography]

2. It's absurd that this is even possible

[no_hypocrisy]

3. The silence from the Tea Party is deafening.

They just don't want cuts from federal spending. They have specific programs and democratic office holders in their crosshairs.

[Tippy]

4. But didn't the teaparty demand an end to earmarks?

[hobbit709]

16. That's only DEMOCRATIC earmarks.

[GoCubsGo]

5. Go right ahead and do that, you little asshole.

Keep giving the country even more examples of what a bunch of hypocrites your party are.

[Angry Dragon]

6. What a baby

What does holding up nominations have to do with dredging ports??

Perhaps he is afraid he may end up one day in front of a judge for his anti-American attitude

[Viking12]

10. "We MUST cut spending!"

'Unless that spending affects my district, of course."

[dgibby]

12. He's playing to the home crowd.

He's been censured twice for not being conservative enough.

[Bandit]

13. I want my "earmark"....stomp stomp

He threatens to continue doing what the Senate has been doing since 2006. What a threat....

[Renew Deal]

14. Why can't he get the money from the state of SC or the city of Charleston?

:shrug:

[Renew Deal]

15. Lindsey Graham being a hypocrite about earmarks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTy2_1HfjLs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBzh8PkxjX8

[City Lights]

17. Lindsey is tweeting his tantrum?

How mature. :eyes:

Take a time-out Lindsey. Suck your thumb if it helps.

[bullwinkle428]

18. He is DESPERATE to not get tea-bagged out of the Senate!

[jberryhill]

19. 260,000 jobs? Collect twenty five cents from each one

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