Schumer: The American People Don't Care About Pork Projects In Stimulus

Tuesday, February 10. 2009

Schumer: The American People Don't Care About Pork Projects In Stimulus

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) says that the American people don't care about pork projects in the stimulus bill.

Perhaps people who do care should call his office and let him know how they feel.

Here is some contact info listed at Wikipedia:

DC Office:
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-3201
Phone:202-224-6542
Fax:202-228-3027

District Office- Albany:
Leo O'Brien Building, Room 420
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: 518-431-4070
Fax: 518-431-4076

District Office- Binghamton:
15 Henry Street, Room B6
Binghamton, NY 13901
Phone: 607-772-6792
Fax: 607-772-8124

District Office- Buffalo:
111 West Huron Street, Room 620
Buffalo, NY 14202
Phone: 716-846-4111
Fax: 716-846-4113

District Office- Hudson Valley:
Post Office Box A
Red Hook, NY 12571
Phone: 914-285-9741
Fax: 845-758-1043

District Office- Long Island:
145 Pine Lawn Road, Room 300
Melville, NY 11747
Phone: 631-753-0978
Fax: 631-753-0997

District Office- New York City:
757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
TTYD Number: 212-486-7803
Fax: 212-486-7693

District Office- Rochester:
100 State Street, Room 3040
Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: 585-263-5866
Fax: 585-263-3173

District Office- Syracuse:
100 South Clinton Street, Room 841
Syracuse, NY 13261-7318
Phone: 315-423-5471
Fax: 315-423-5185

Update: Here is a partial list of some of the pork in the stimulus bill, courtesy of Sen. Tom Coburn and Hot Air:

$2 billion earmark for FutureGen near zero emissions powerplant in Mattoon, IL
$39 billion slush fund for “state fiscal stabilization” bailout
$5.5 billion for making federal buildings “green” (including $448 million for DHS HQ)
$200 million for workplace safety in USDA facilities
$275 million for flood prevention
$65 million for watershed rehabilitation
$200 million for public computer centers at community colleges and libraries
$650 million for the DTV transition coupon program
$307 million for constructing NIST office buildings
$1 billion for administrative costs and construction of NOAA office buildings
$100 million for constructing U.S. Marshalls office buildings
$300 million for constructing FBI office buildings
$800 million for constructing Federal Prison System buildings and facilities
$10 million to fight Mexican gunrunners
$1.3 billion for NASA (including $450 million for “science” at NASA)
$100 million to clean up sites used in early U.S. atomic energy program
$10 million for urban canals
$2 billion for manufacturing advanced batteries for hybrid cars
$1.5 billion for carbon capture projects under sec. 703 of P.L. 110-140 (though section only authorizes $1 billion for five years)
$300 million for hybrid and electric cars for federal employees
$198 million to design and furnish the DHS headquarters
$255 million for “priority procurements” at Coast Guard (polar ice breaker)
$500 million for State and local fire stations
$180 million for construction of Bureau of Land Management facilities
$500 million for wildland fire management
$110 million for construction for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
$522 million for construction for the Bureau of Indian Affairs
$650 million for abandoned mine sites
$75 million for the Smithsonian Institution
$1.2 billion for summer jobs for youth
$412 million for CDC headquarters
$500 million earmark for NIH facilities in Bethesda, MD
$160 million for “volunteers” at the Corp. for National and Community Service
$750 earmark for the National Computer Center in MD
$224 million for International Boundary and Water Commission – U.S. and Mexico
$850 million for Amtrak
$100 million for lead paint hazard reduction

Posted by Tom Elia in Politics at 13:49 | Comments (41) | Trackbacks (0)

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So, what you are saying is that you are against all of this stuff and that none of it will create jobs or pump capitol into the bottom of the economy where it will circulate upwards to the rich guys?

#1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-10 14:42 (Reply)

No Rusty, that's what you said I said.

But of course, as a Texas Dem, you've learned well how to misrepresent what others say!

#1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-10 15:26 (Reply)

Rusty,

Since when is government a source of "capitol" (sic)? Government spending is not capital. Capital is invested by individuals and provides a return. Government spending is taken forcefully from people (except Democrats in government) and poured into endless black holes and only provides for those too lazy or too stupid to work for themselves. Don't believe me? Go to a government office or a school. You'll see it is filled with people who would never be able to cut it in the private sector. And don't get me started on Welfare recipients.

#1.2 Ferd on 2009-02-11 08:29 (Reply)

Ditto

#1.2.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-11 09:26 (Reply)

Rusty,
that's cee ay pee i tee ay ell, cap... Ah say, capital!
(that's a joke, son)

#2 don on 2009-02-10 16:03 (Reply)

"Course, now that Ah have re-read yas remarks, I could see them as referrin' to a DC enema applied to our sick economy. Genius, boy, pure genius!
...Foghorn Leghorn

#3 don on 2009-02-10 16:08 (Reply)

Fortunately I keep my comments numbered for just such an emergency!

#3.1 Foghorn Leghorn on 2009-02-11 11:58 (Reply)

Rusty, I'll use small words, so it will help.

None of these projects will help the economy, and almost all are pure pork.

If you want these projects, then you need to be prepared to vote on each one, separately, when the budget is made. That's how it's supposed to work. What you're not supposed to do is ram crap through under the pretense that it will help the economy.

As an example, the $39,000,000,000 for "state fiscal stabilization" means that those who live in states that were responsible are now expected to bail out the states that weren't, like California and New York.

#4 orthodoc on 2009-02-10 19:49 (Reply)

I am having a hard time taking any of you seriously. California and New York recieve around 39 cents on the dollar for the federal taxes that their citizens pay. Where does the rest of that money go? It goes to states like Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia who refuse to raise the revenue from their citizens to run the affairs of their states. I say let's go truly federal. Let New York and California keep 100% of the tax revenues that they pay to the federal government and screw the rest of the country.

Let's not forget that Republicans in the white house and congress ran up an additional 5 trillion dollars to the national debt. Where were you people when that was happening? They filled Omnibus spending bills with midnight pork for their campaign contributors and rammed the bills through with little or no debate. Where were you guys then? Tom has archives that go all the way back to 2004. Did any of you complain about the pork that republicans dished out? Did Tom et al complain about deficit spending under Bush and the Republican congress? I don't think so.

If all of the things listed above were removed from the bill would a single republican vote for it? Probably not.

The problem is that you object to Democratic pork and sit silently by when Republicans do the same thing. That makes you a hypocricte.

#4.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-11 09:16 (Reply)

Right On Rusty! And while we're at it, let extend your concept 1 step further. Why not let the taxpayers KEEP ALL THEIR MONEY?? If my city/municipality collects 1b in taxes let US keep it, and let US decide who/when/where/how to spend it!!!!! O.M.G. !! What a totally radical thought--that the people who pay the money decide how to spend it. Brilliant! But not federalist, so dead in the water. Rusty--is that your name or the state of your thinking?

#4.1.1 DamnWalker on 2009-02-11 12:43 (Reply)

I have a good friend who had that same notion. 'It's my money and I'm keeping all of it" He wound up getting a fabulous Russian mail order bride and moving to the Ukraine where there are very little taxes. Much to his chagrin there were very little services as well like paved roads, police, hospitals, safe banks and the like unless you could afford to bribe the police to protect your house and property, or the fire department to respond to emergencies. At the end of the day he came back because even with all of the problems he percieved here it is still the greatest country in the history of the world.

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep a better eye on those whom we elect to run things and spend our combined resources for the greater good. The thing that makes us great is that as a nation we do pool our resources to achieve whatever the majority of us thinks is the greater good and generally take turns between the Republicans and the Democrats in defining what that greater good is. It's the Dems turn to define what the greater good is and you don't like it. I can relate to that.

#4.1.1.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 07:22 (Reply)

Rusty, do you really believe we didn't object to deficit spending under the Bush Administration? Really?

You really are so very, very full of it. You do your fellow Texas Dems proud!

#4.1.2 Tom Elia on 2009-02-11 12:54 (Reply)

I just don't recall any posts on this site where you objected to Republican deficit spending or pointed out the obvious pork in a Republican appropriations bill. I could be wrong and will gladly apologize if you point one out.

#4.1.2.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-11 15:58 (Reply)

You don't recall? That's the best you can do?

You make the argument, can't prove it, and then say I have to provide the evidence in order to disprove it?

Typical Texas Democrat... I can never figure it, are Texas Dems such as yourself dishonest or are they just plain stupid?

#4.1.2.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-11 16:05 (Reply)

Well tom, I do owe you an apology. I did use the google and found quite a large number of discussions surrounding the search term deficit. The preferred solutions for this problem at the New Editor were slashing entitlements and privatizing social security. While I disagree with those positions I can't say you were not concerned with the deficit during the Bush years.

What I was unable to find was anything connected to the search term Pork and Republican together. Since you are a much better googler than I am maybe you can enlighten me.

#4.1.2.1.1.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 07:27 (Reply)

Lemme get this straight: You acknowledge one bad-faith argument and immediately make another bad-faith argument.

How typical of you, Rusty.

Are Texas Democrats such as yourself genetically incapable of making adult arguments, or is this something achieved only through desire and lots of practice?

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-12 15:08 (Reply)

At least I have the balls to come back and say I was wrong. I have been dropping by here for years to see what the other side is thinking and can't remember you guys treating the bad beheivior by Republicans to the same degree as the same bad behievior by the Dems. I even spent some of my spare time searching your site for it. What I can't understand is why you can't direct me to any entries that prove your point. And just look at all the action that my bad faith posts bring. I feel that I am doing a public service by allowing your readers a chance to vent their spleens on me rather than kick their dogs or yell at their kids.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 16:15 (Reply)

You have no balls.

You come in here masking your identity, making one bad-faith argument after another, and you write this bullshit?

Fuck you, asshole.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-12 16:22 (Reply)

Hey, Tom. Calm down, willya?

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 David Rogers on 2009-02-12 16:45 (Reply)

Does someone need a hug?

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 20:05 (Reply)

You sure you want to taunt me, motherfucker?

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-12 20:10 (Reply)

Dude,
I was just trying to lighten the mood but I guess that I have been a little too much of an ignorant Texas Dem asshole lately and overstayed my welcome.

So as a parting shot I will wish you well in all your endeavors and leave it at that.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 20:20 (Reply)

Lighten the mood? What a liar and a coward you are.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-12 20:26 (Reply)

Dude,
There is a formula to this whole blog thing and a key element to the most successful blogs is that the hosts seldom show up in the comments section and never get involved in a back and forth with a reader. The main page is your world. You post articles with pithy comments that support your worldview. You link to shit that you think it is important for people to see and allow people to express their opinions in a comments section. As the host of the blog you can't take the comments section personally or even seriously. It's the peanut gallery. It is the community of readers that grows up around you. Involving yourself with readers the way you do makes you lose credibility. It's like a basketball player going into the stands and kicking the shit out of a heckler. It's like Mitch Williams throwing at hecklers from the bullpen. You are supposed to be the pro. Maybe that heckler in the stands really did fuck your sister in the nose but it doesn't matter. You are suppose to shut that heckler up with your actions on the field. I saw Darryl Strawberry do it in Wrigley Field. All the Cubs fans were chanting "Darryl, Darryl" and he hit one out of the park. Shut those fuckers right up. You never see Atrios descend into his own comments section, or Michelle Malkin or Ann Althouse or Iowahawk. It's just bush league. You do your talking on the main page and let your readers duke it out in the comments. You make a cogent argument and provide interesting content and people come by to see what you have to say. Nobody gives a fat fuck what I have to say because I am just some schmuck in the comments section. When events don't turn your way and shit doesn't work out as you predicted you have to buck up and find something relevant to talk about instead of beating up on readers who say stupid shit in the comments section. I'm your goddamn customer fer chrissakes. Eyeballs on the page is how you measure your success as a blog.

Oh, and as far as disguising my identity...DUH! Most people who comment on blogs have some kind of handle. Just ask RightGuy or Orthodoc. If you want my name, address and phone number ask Dave. I am sure he'd be happy to hook us up in the real world if you want to try and kick my ass or something.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.1.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-13 00:41 (Reply)

You are so lacking in honesty and integrity, it's amazing.

Putz.

#4.1.2.1.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.1.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-13 13:38 (Reply)

Also, this form: http://www.nemw.org/fedspend2rank.htm
shows per capita spending in 2007 from the feds. Hawaii and Alaska rank #1 & #2 (frontier states, large military presence.)

Maryland and Virginia, which are right next to Washington, and actually host much of the federal government, rank # 3 & 4.

New York is #42, and California is #31. Other than Virginia, the only Southern state in the top ten is Oklahoma (#10). Washington State (Boeing, Microsoft) is #9, but Oregon is #40. The west over all has 7 of the top 10.

#4.1.2.1.2 David Rogers on 2009-02-12 10:19 (Reply)

OKay, Rusty. You're just making up numbers, and talking Sh**.

According to this handy table: http://www.nemw.org/taxburd.htm (first google result when you type in "state return on tax dollar"), in 2005, California got eighty ($.80) cents back per federal tax dollar, and New York gets one dollar and eight cents ($1.08). So, apparently, New Yorkers are screwing Californians.

Georgia got $1.03, just better than breaking even. Missisippi got $2.02 and Louisiana got $1.85, but those numbers are probably higher than usual because that was the year of Katrina, when, as I recall Democrats (including you) wailing "The federal government isn't doing ANYTHING for those poor black victims of Katrina." (Mississippi is the blackest state in the USA.)

That year, the only states in the same league as the Katrina states were Bill Richardson's New Mexico ($2.00), and perennial pork champions Ted Stevens (Alaska, $1.83) and Robert C. Byrd (West Virginia, $1.75).

As a region, the South does better than the rest of the country, though Texas (.97) and Florida (.95) send more money to Washington than they get back. Much of this is explained by proximity to Washington (the Pentagon is actually in Virginia, $1.51), and Maryland, immediately north of Washington, scores highest of the mid-Atlantic states ($1.30). I would argue that much of the remaining difference is explained by income gaps--Southern states, for a variety of reasons (e.g., looting by the North for a century, late adaptation of manufacturing, race problems inhibiting economic growth) have lower incomes than much of the rest of the country. Also, though, because Southerners are more patriotic than average, military facilities are disproportionately Southernly located, and with that comes federal $$$. (Hawaii, also disproportionately the home of military facilities, comes in near the top at $1.43.

#4.1.3 David Rogers on 2009-02-12 09:40 (Reply)

I stand corrected

#4.1.3.1 Rusty Gromet on 2009-02-12 12:24 (Reply)

Rusty, you should adopt that as your own personal boilerplate....

#4.1.3.1.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-12 15:40 (Reply)

"$500 million for State and local fire stations".....This slays me...How many fires do we really have nowadays...This is just another payback to the public employee unions...I live in a city in Arizona that has about 15 fire stations..They have built another 3 in the last 18 months that sit vacant because they don't need them and can't afford to staff them...It's sickening!!

#5 sirpatrick on 2009-02-10 19:55 (Reply)

The whole idea that massive government spending helps the economy is a fraud. If that were the case, shouldn't we have the strongest economy imaginable by now? The federal budget has doubled in the last eight years, and quintupled in the last 30.

Government spending is the problem, not the solution. This bill is deeply perverse.

#6 Nathan (Homepage) on 2009-02-10 19:57 (Reply)

Sorry,Senator Schumer,but we do care about those tiny, porky amendments that Democrats are piling up. It's on you, Senator, and we're adding them up. 2010 is sooner than your pork will create hope and change.
Barbara Deszyck
Winston-Salem, NC

#7 Barbara Deszyck on 2009-02-10 19:58 (Reply)

Sen Schumer,
With all do respect, sir, you are out of touch. I care very deeply that my tax dollars are going to your "porky" projects. You and your big spending colleagues are going to regret this bill. Indeed all of us are going to regret this bill.

I urge you to reconsider your position on this catastrophic legislation and vote NO.

#8 Allen Hamilton on 2009-02-10 20:31 (Reply)

Maybe we need to put some pork in to improve security on the Banking Sub-committee so there isn't another run on banks like IndyMac. Or, how about pork to send Shumer on another junket in Europe to promote sub-prime mortgages like he did a few year ago to promote the very financial instruments that helped bring America to its knees?

We need to hold citizen hearings on Democrats who don't pay taxes, and use government offices for making power grabs. Power belongs to the people. We need to find a way to remind that to the Democrats. If you value your freedom, vote every one out of office at every level you can. And, to eliminate Democrat's propoganda cancel all print and cable media besides.

#9 vigilant on 2009-02-10 20:39 (Reply)

I hate to have to break it to everyone, but Sen. Schumer is not ever going to read - or have read to him - the comments here.

And, like other experienced politicians, he realizes that occasionally he'll do things that cause a lot of phone calls, but eventually the phone calls will subside and nothing significant will have happened.

If anyone wants to actually have an impact, you have to do things a different way. You have to make Schumer look bad on video over this issue by asking him very difficult questions designed to make him look bad.

Note that I'm talking about questions, not rants. And, I mean questions that he's going to have trouble answering and that are going to have an impact on his career when he's unable to answer them.

His response can then be uploaded to Youtube where his potential voters can see it.

See my name's link for the plan, but note that simply agreeing with me that this would be effective isn't enough. You need to make sure that major bloggers start pushing this plan. Unfortunately, all they've done so far is put on a show instead of actually doing something, but if enough people write them they might get a clue.

#10 Something that will work (Homepage) on 2009-02-10 20:42 (Reply)

One of the underlying problems isn't government spending, rather it is unfunded government actions. Congress, especially those on the left, but also many others, wanted affordable owner-occupied housing for those who didn't have it, but Congress didn't dare pass a spending bill funding it. Instead, through the abuse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the whole world will pay for it for several years. This is the fault, dear Brutus, of Congress.

#11 ASR on 2009-02-10 21:38 (Reply)

I care very deeply about where my money goes, Mr. Senator. But even more importantly, I care about the legacy of debt that you are leaving for my children. You are already spending money that they haven't yet earned, and it is going for political-payback projects that have nothing to do with economic stimulus. See my homepage for an analogy, and to see Thomas Jefferson's excellent solution...

#12 Alan (Homepage) on 2009-02-10 21:42 (Reply)

What a douchebag.

#13 George on 2009-02-10 22:38 (Reply)

The $trillion of pork that comprises the 'stimulus' package reeks of democrat cynicism, arrogance, and partisanship. They really don't care about our country at all.

#14 rightguy (Homepage) on 2009-02-11 01:25 (Reply)

We have a stimulus bill. Good thing, too. Congratulations to Pres Obama! Be fun to watch all the conservative lies, told by people whose ideological obsessions led us to economic disaster, like Rush Limbaugh, go down. "Oh, I'm melting, I'm melting.."

#15 don on 2009-02-11 15:20 (Reply)

As usual Don, your handle of economic cause and effect is masterful!

Now go back and fill out another government form...

#15.1 Tom Elia on 2009-02-11 16:01 (Reply)

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