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National Debt
Earmarks/ Lobbying
- Members and Their Money
May 23, 2010
As financial reform legislation is being debated in the Capitol, members of both parties, even those with said legislation before their committees, are reaping the benefits of Wall Street's coffers through an endless stream of fundraisers.
Full article... - One-Upmanship We Appreciate
March 11, 2010
While members of Congress and their respective parties are notorious for one-upmanship, often in the worst forms, they are, for once, engaged in a contest to be productive.
Full article... - Buying Congress
October 26, 2009
Buying Congress through campaign contributions has always been a common activity in Washington, but at least in the past it was somewhat hidden.
Full article... - Paying to Play
September 24, 2009
An article in the New York Times brings light to what everyone knows but few discuss in Washington: those who have the money make the rules.
Full article... - Which Came First?
July 31, 2009
An article in the Washington Post highlights an unsettling correlation involving the actions of "Blue Dog" Democrats and financial contributions from the drug and healthcare industries.
Full article... - Separating the Special Interests From the Money
April 28, 2009
In an "it's about time" moment on Capitol Hill, several House members proposed legislation barring Members of Congress from receiving campaign donations from people or groups affiliated with the members' earmark requests.
Full article... - Omnibus: Do As We Say, Not As We Do
March 06, 2009
The federal omnibus encompassing several spending bills is full of earmarks, approximately 8,500 of them, but both the democrats and republicans each own about half each.
Full article... - Connecting the Dots
February 27, 2009
For the first time in memory, a resolution has been put forth to finally create true transparency in the world of lobbying and earmarks.
Full article... - McCain-Feingold Earmark Reform
December 14, 2008
Senators John McCain (AZ) and Russ Feingold (WI) are teaming up again to create legislation to provide a limited line item veto power to the president in efforts to help eliminate the wasteful and often secretive spending of tax payer dollars on earmarks, also known as pork spending.
Full article... - FLEECED!
October 06, 2008
While the $700 billion Wall Street bail out package was too expensive and too wasteful, a $700 billion Wall Street bail out package PLUS an extra $100 billion in tax breaks was just the right amount.
Full article... - Earmarks: Version 2008
December 18, 2007
There are, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, approximately 8,983 earmarks (pork barrel legislation) for a total of around $7.4 BILLION in the 2008 omnibus appropriations bill.
Full article... - Lobbying and Gift Reform Passes House, Senate
August 02, 2007
A once-troubled lobbying reform bill has successfully made it through both the House and Senate and is on its way to the president where he is expected to sign it into law.
Full article... - Congress, Democrats, Losing Interest in Lobbying Reform
May 15, 2007
After much fanfare about "cleaning up Congress" and a "change from the status-quo", Congress, led by a Democratic majority, is quietly looking the other way on major legislation designed to limit the impact of lobbyist on Capitol Hill.
Full article... - New Congress Says “No” to Pork
December 20, 2006
The incoming chairmen of both the House and Senate Appropriations committees have created a plan that would eliminate $463 billion worth of expenses from the budget by removing thousands of earmarks (“pork”) inserted by members of Congress.
Full article... - CapitolWatch Applauds Senate for Unanimous Support of S. 2590
September 11, 2006
CapitolWatch applauds the Senate for their unanimous support for S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.
Full article... - Transparency Prevents Corruption
September 04, 2006
Sen. Tom Coburn (OK) introduced in April of this year legislation directing the Office of Management and Budget to create and make available, at no cost to the public, a database listing the amounts and itemized breakdown of federal funding that public and private entities receive, as well as what the funds were specifically for, and clearly identifying the recipient entity and its parent entity, if applicable.
Full article... - CapitolWatch supports Presidental Veto threat
May 02, 2006
CapitolWatch supports President Bush’s threat to veto an excessive $106.5 billion emergency spending bill for the Iraq War and rebuilding costs associated with Hurricane Katrina. The bill currently proposed in the Senate exceeds the Administration’s request by more than $14 billion.
Full article... - Pork-Free Diet in DC?
February 27, 2006
After a decade of watching "pork" spending increase 240% in Washington, DC, some members of Congress are finally starting to fight to rein in the wanton spending of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
Full article...
FactCheck.org
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of what is being heard and said; you are guaranteed to be surprised."So tonight, to you, the great silent majority of Americans, I ask for your support."
Richard M. Nixon, November 3, 1968
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