Comments on: New Pork King Of The Senate: Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) Blocks Any Further Obama Nominee Confirmations Until Alabama Receives Billions In Earmarks

By: SJ

SJ — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:22:17 +0000

GTL,

I’m sorry, but until Robert Byrd leaves the senate, he is the undisputed king, the Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice and Tiger Woods (bad mental picture here) of pork. Nobody else comes close. See the CAGW website for details.

By: SJ

SJ — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:19:16 +0000

@CLD,

CLD,

Ironicly, it was several Democratic senators (Conrad, Landreiu) who held the GTL’s beloved healtcare plan (that supposedly we all want) hostage. In fact, their “delaying” tactics helped kill it.

I spent quite a few years in Defense, and unfortunately, there is always nasty politics involved. Of course, I’m slowly finding out that the Energy industry may be even more corrupt. Ha!

By: F&B

F&B — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:11:16 +0000

OK. Link to earmarks here

By: F&B

F&B — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:34:19 +0000

By: F&B

F&B — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:31:43 +0000

I know its fun for dems to bash republicans on anything they can find to complain about, but in cases such as this where the general economic conditions have hurt some states more than others, earmarks that provide some short term relief for those states may be appropriate.

It is perfectly reasonable for a republican or democrat congressman to say that he is against a huge “stimulus” spending bill (by voting against it) but also say at the same time that if the government is going to do it anyway, Alabama wants her fair share. There is no contradiction here, and no hypocrisy.

Shelby sponsored or co-sponsored 117 separate appropriations for Alabama ranging from 25,000 to 30,000,000 dollars. A list of those earmarks can be found

Alabama should be on Shelby’s side on this one. Many in Alabama could use the money and the work it brings.

By: CLD

CLD — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 15:47:57 +0000

Once again, guess this is why we have wars, and Alabama fans vs. Auburn fans. I dont blame Shelby one damn bit…When in Rome(or DC)do as the Romans(politicians). Fact check here folks, Boeing LOST the bid for the new tankers. Fact, the military has requested the new refueling planes and EADS/Norththrup won in a “transparent” bid. The change in administration “unexpectedly” decided that the bid was “tainted” and put the brakes on awarding the contract. Guess who suffers GTL…our MILITARY. Ah yes, and Shelby is the bad guy, because he is a REPUBLICAN…right….Follow the money folks, its politics at its best here, and I dont blame Shelby one bit. He is trying to “get the sale” that EADS earned, not a kick-back like Nelson or Landrieu with her “Louisana purchase”…

By: Doomed

Doomed — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:28:50 +0000

GTL

I went and looked up what he was doing.

I have only one dayumn thing to say.

TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!!!

By: SJ

SJ — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:50:30 +0000

@Alabama Moderate,

Hipocrisy indeed…hard to argue with my liberal friends on this one.

I appreciated our Governor Sanford when he tried to stop the stimulus money (and not just talk about it) with a principled stand. Unfortunately, he confused the Appalachians with the Andes and everything went to crap for him after that.

By: Alabama Moderate

Alabama Moderate — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:30:36 +0000

Shelby is the pork king of the U.S. Senate (well, technically he’s #2), so it was likely that if anyone was going to pull a stunt of this nature, it would be him. Of course, not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that ANY senator would have garnered the testicular fortitude to do this AND outright admit that he was doing it because he wanted more federal taxpayer money for his pork projects.

*golf clap*