On this morning's CNN Newsroom anchor Tony Harris interviewed Congressman (and presidential candidate) Duncan Hunter (R-CA) on the Iraq emergency spending bill which would, among other things, withdraw American combat troops from the country before the fall of 2008.
Mr. Hunter detailed his opposition to the legislation, pointing out that it ignores military needs while at the same time the bill's backers "did find money for shrimp and spinach." Here he was referring to the almost $4 billion targeted for farm interests that are included in the legislation.
HARRIS: Yes. You are referring to some of the sweeteners in the deal, millions, for example, to make spinach farmers whole again after last year's E. coli episode.
HUNTER: Yes.
HARRIS: I recall at least some of those farmers are located in your home state of California. There's money in here for Katrina recovery.
Are you unwilling to attach strings to the president's war strategy even if it helps people in your home state, people in Louisiana, real people in trouble, maybe get some help getting out of trouble?
HUNTER: Absolutely. The spinach farmers -- and I think I have got some in my district -- and the shrimp fishermen, I would simply say this: All those people have young men and women in uniform in the two war fighting theaters in Iraq and Afghanistan. This bill is bad for people in uniform, and I would tell that to any farmer. I'd much rather take that spinach money and put it in these vehicles that can deflect roadside bombs.
The congressman was too gracious to point out to Mr. Harris that the Democratic bill is not, as he asserted, "the president's war strategy."
As for the "real people in trouble," this is an argument made constantly by liberals while peddling their Big Government schemes. Farm spending is totally unrelated to the Iraq War, but liberals are using the bill as a convenient way of subsidizing special interests while attracting votes for their withdrawal plan. So there's $74 million for peanut growers, $25 million for spinach growers, $252 million for milk subsidies and $3.3 billion for crop and livestock losses. All that pork didn't go to waste; the bill passed.
According to USA Today, "Agribusiness spent $84 million lobbying Congress and contributed $44.1 million to federal campaigns in 2005 and 2006. . . "
Maybe Tony Harris should consider if the "real people in trouble" include politicians whose hands are always open for money from special interests they can prop up with funding from real taxpayers.



















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To make the spinach growers
March 23, 2007 - 12:40 ET by John in CATo make the spinach growers whole again. WTF, over?! That's a phrase used when someone is wronged and is seeking redress. The spinach growers and industry had lax safequards - they might have even ignored or scrimped on some of them. Now they need to be made whole? Besides, I think it would be doing the nation's children a favor if there was less spinach to try to make them eat. :)
For the Georgia peanut farmers, $75 million for peanut storage? What? When did I become responsible for storing their over abundance of peanuts? Why aren't the peanut growers responsible for growing storing their own peanuts? Sheesh...wonder if I can get Congress to add a few bucks in there to pay my storage unit fees?
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
Gambling with your money
March 23, 2007 - 12:53 ET by sarcasmo(I actually won yesterday, but let's pretend!!) I lost some money at poker yesterday, and in between the spinach & the peanut-storage, I'm beginning to think other taxpayers should be forced this coming April 15th to make me "whole" again. But I'm a reasonable guy, instead of using directly-collected taxes, the government can also just borrow the money I 'need' from future generations. Present taxpayers hopefully won't notice (the Anna Nicole news media sure won't tell 'em!). If 51% of you are willing to fall for my proposed scam, I might be willing to quit being a nasty ol' libertarian and start being a statist. :)
JMR
Future generations
March 23, 2007 - 13:34 ET by Michael M. BatesBut I'm a reasonable guy, instead of using directly-collected taxes,
the government can also just borrow the money I 'need' from future
generations.
Future generations haven't done a darn thing for me. Count me in. (As long as the church I'm starting next week qualifies for Federal grants.)
Storage fees
March 23, 2007 - 13:27 ET by Michael M. Bates. . .wonder if I can get Congress to add a few bucks in there to pay my storage unit fees?
Probably not. Unless, of course, you want to start a Storage Unit Fee Payers Association and begin making political contributions. . .
Number one: There is only O
March 24, 2007 - 09:31 ET by RowaneNumber one: There is only ONE way I know of for anything to be contaminated with E-Coli and that is for it to be in contact with feces. Draw your own conclusions about the sanitary practices in the fields of these farmers who need to be "made whole."
Number two: Peanut farmers can take it on the chin like all the other farmers have been doing since the eighties. When the prices fall out they can dump the product at the best price possible and diversify into other areas.
And WHY do shrimp farmers need to be subsidized, have any of y'all seen the prices of shrimp lately? outrageous.
This is, supposedly, an emergency appropriations bill for the Military and none of this malarkey has military significance. If Bush doesn't veto this he's worse than a DhimmicRAT.
This is just another exampl
March 23, 2007 - 12:55 ET by rmellerThis is just another example of the left's push for mandatory income re-distribution. The left wants "equality of condition rather than equality of opportunity". Isn't that one of the basic tenents of communism?
...and as an added bonus they
March 23, 2007 - 13:35 ET by MassConservative...and as an added bonus they just voted for surrender. Signs that the latest 'surge' may actually be working mean nothing to these guys.
Just remember 'Pro' is the opposite of 'Con' therefore 'Progress' is the opposite of .....
I can't wait to walk into my
March 23, 2007 - 13:33 ET by Independence4AllI can't wait to walk into my grocery store and demand my free spinach from now on ...oh yeah, that goes for citrus too since we taxpayers will have already paid for their losses as well.
I think I will start making a list....
/sarc off
Free spinach
March 23, 2007 - 13:37 ET by Michael M. BatesI can't wait to walk into my grocery store and demand my free spinach from now on. . .
Just ask 'em to "make you whole."
As long as we're discussing p
March 23, 2007 - 13:36 ET by blarsenAs long as we're discussing pork, let's not forget about Ted Steven's "Bridge to Nowhere" and "Polar Express to Nowhere".
Porking
March 23, 2007 - 13:40 ET by Michael M. BatesAs long as we're discussing pork, let's not forget about Ted Steven's "Bridge to Nowhere" and "Polar Express to Nowhere".
The subject was not about pork in general, but how it was added on to the totally unrelated Iraq War legislation and CNN's reaction to said pork.
blarsen
March 23, 2007 - 14:01 ET by gfrrmanAh, yes blarsen..please tell us all about that. How did that thing turn out? Come on, fess up..and tell the truth. Fact is, that didn't turn out like you think. It never got funded...so put a sock in it. Damn, that's gotta hurt.
Yeah, I think the funds for
March 23, 2007 - 14:10 ET by John in CAYeah, I think the funds for the bridges finally got allocated to the state of Alaska to spend on transportation projects. Now, those two bridges might still get built, but the funds weren't specifically allocated in the Transportation bill for that purpose.
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
John
March 23, 2007 - 14:14 ET by gfrrmanJohn you are absolutely correct. But listen to blowhard blars you'd get the wrong impression. Just thought I'd clear that up. Thanks...
Why make them whole?Haven't
March 23, 2007 - 13:45 ET by Right2thePointWhy make them whole?
Haven't the dems been screaming nobody at home is suffering over the war.
So someone is suffering (not over the war) and the still bail them out.
Bail 'em out
March 23, 2007 - 13:47 ET by Michael M. BatesSo someone is suffering (not over the war) and the still bail them out.
Bailing them out in proportion to their campaign contributions no doubt.
But Hillary doesn't get to
March 23, 2007 - 13:49 ET by Right2thePointBut Hillary doesn't get to say "I feel your pain".
Feeling your pain
March 23, 2007 - 13:53 ET by Michael M. BatesBut Hillary doesn't get to say "I feel your pain".
I think Hillary has, if you'll pardon the expression, "moved on." She doesn't feel our pain like her loving husband; she just wants to "start a conversation."
Hilary also wants to help tho
March 23, 2007 - 15:05 ET by Mean Gene Dr. LoveHilary also wants to help those spinach farmers get back on their feet so she can "take those profits".
"There is a time to take counsel of your fears, and there is a time to never listen to any fear." --General George S. Patton, Jr.
Power to the people
March 23, 2007 - 17:35 ET by Michael M. BatesHilary also wants to help those spinach farmers get back on their feet so she can "take those profits".
What's wrong with those capitalist pigs anyway?
Over 20 billion in pork for
March 23, 2007 - 13:47 ET by Right2thePointOver 20 billion in pork for a 6 vote margin.
Buying votes in an election is a federal crime but obviously these expensive votes here are another whole story.
Buying votes
March 23, 2007 - 13:50 ET by Michael M. BatesBuying votes in an election is a federal crime but obviously these expensive votes here are another whole story.
It must be one of those exciting new initiatives promised by the 'Rats.
The most disgusting thing abo
March 23, 2007 - 22:09 ET by gordonThe lowest part of this bill was brought up in a piece in the San Diego Union-Tribune:
"This is disgusting. That Pelosi insists this extra spending doesn't qualify as pork is bad enough. But the idea that taxpayer funds are being doled out by the multibillion for unrelated domestic programs to influence a profoundly important vote on Iraq should offend everyone. What does it say for the dozens of House members that this tactic apparently swayed? That on any issue, there is a price at which their convictions are for sale?"
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070323/news_lz1ed23bottom.html
Well, we've found out that
March 24, 2007 - 09:36 ET by RowaneWell, we've found out that they whore for a certain price, now to find out exactly what the price is.
withdraw American combat troo
March 23, 2007 - 14:42 ET by JDWwithdraw American combat troops from the country before the fall of 2008... people in trouble
The free gifts are nothing more than candy to entice dem voters.
Welfare did nothing but destroy the growth and accomplishments of a sector of our society, how is this different?
If you were a terrorist where would your 2008 donations be pledged?
JDW
Wounded skier, beware of mistakes.
News media: Scoreboard for terrorists
The price is right
March 23, 2007 - 22:54 ET by nkviking75The pork has one benefit. We now have a definite measure of how much it takes to make some members of Congress sell out our troops and our country.