Comments on: Bush Surrenders in Earmarks Battle

By: Grewgills

Grewgills — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:42:48 +0000

Actually, Porkbusters and similar efforts have been ongoing since well before the 2006 elections.

Yes, but I was thinking more along the lines of the partisan blogs like redstate etc that are making much more of this in the past year than the previous 6.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:35:11 +0000

and the pork busters effort is one of those truly bipartisan efforts (both left and right) that we hear touted so much, but rarely see in practice.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:13:08 +0000

It is funny how this has become such a big issue on a number of Right wing blogs just this past year. I wonder why they are so much more concerned about this issue now.

Actually, Porkbusters and similar efforts have been ongoing since well before the 2006 elections. The "Bridge to Nowhere" thing really made it catch fire.

By: Grewgills

Grewgills — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:33:51 +0000

I think he would be more likely to issue an executive order to end earmarks after the elections if a Democrat is elected. The Democrat president would then need to issue an order to revoke Bush's order.

If he does it that would probably be how.

It is funny how this has become such a big issue on a number of Right wing blogs just this past year. I wonder why they are so much more concerned about this issue now.

By: yetanotherjohn

yetanotherjohn — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:32:48 +0000

My Machiavellian side would make a Solomon decision and split the baby in twain. Issue an executive order that instructed the cabinet officers to review the ear marks and only implement those that are in the "national interests".
This would of course just kick the can down the road. To the extent that local vote buying through earmarks would be politically helpful, the "national interests" would be found lacking in democratic earmarks and present in republican ones.
Kill of the benchmarks of some high profile democrats (Pelosi, Reid, Murtha, Clinton, Obama) to make headlines.

But despite his critics, Bush isn't nearly that Machiavellian in his governance.

By: Club for Growth

Club for Growth — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:53:54 +0000

Conservatives Push Back on Earmarks...

The White House floated a trial balloon yesterday through the New York Times, suggesting that it wouldn't defy Congress by ignoring the earmarks contained in the FY08 omnibus bill, but instead would insist that some kind of reform be made in the futur...

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:27:52 +0000

Certainly, nothing in his seven years as president would lead me to believe that he’s concerned about fiscal responsibility.

His father's Hamiltonian supporters thrust GWB into the presidency without understanding just how Jacksonian he is. Credit is a sacrament for Jacksonians.

By: rodney dill

rodney dill — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:10:44 +0000

I think he would be more likely to issue an executive order to end earmarks after the elections if a Democrat is elected. The Democrat president would then need to issue an order to revoke Bush's order.