Pelosi Writing Out Checks Country Can't Cash
Dear Friends,
During last week’s State of the Union address and again in a meeting with House Republicans, the President repeatedly used rhetoric conservatives could embrace – calling for “fiscal responsibility,” “spending freezes,” and “earmark reform.” While no one expected the President to make a complete 180-degree turn from the previous 12 months of failed economic policies, Americans were optimistic about this indication of fiscal responsibility from Washington.
Unfortunately, just days after the President’s call to rein in spending, he unveiled a new $3.8 trillion budget that once again spends too much, borrows too much, and taxes too much. The President’s budget plan more than doubles the debt, pushes the deficit to a new record of $1.6 trillion in FY 2010, and raises taxes by more than $2 trillion through 2020.
Adding insult to injury, yesterday, Congress wrapped up the week by passing the largest one-time increase in the debt limit in our nation’s history. I joined bipartisan opposition to this $1.9 trillion increase, which raised the debt limit to an unfathomable $14.3 trillion.
Americans continue to tell me they have had enough of Washington’s reckless addiction to wasteful spending. But that hasn’t stopped Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Congressional Democrats from saddling our children and grandchildren enormous debt.
Weekly Waste Watch: $7 Million in Stimulus Funds for a ‘Bridge to No Benefits’
Each week on my Stop the Pork web site, I highlight examples of government waste on the “Weekly Waste Watch” page. This week’s installment comes from Thedford, Neb., where $7 million in stimulus funds were spent on a “Bridge to No Benefits.”
The purpose of the bridge was to help 168 residents avoid a 30-second wait at a local train crossing. But according to Mike Hodges, a local business owner, crossing the bridge won’t even help residents avoid the current 30 second wait time — it will actually take longer to cross the new roundabout bridge. Will the bridge at least create jobs? Not for Thedford. Town Chairman Judy Taylor complained that the bridge contract was awarded to a Colorado company that is using their own workers. In fact, not one full-time job will be created through the construction of this $7 million bridge. CNN closed a segment about this bridge by saying: “No economic benefit, no full time jobs, and a lot of taxpayer dollars used to cross the road.”
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