Earmarks are back

[Nevilledog]

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Tweet text:
Jake Sherman
@JakeSherman
NEWS in @PunchbowlNews AM .. ☀️ Earmarks are back

@rosadelauro and @SenatorLeahy are set to announce that earmarks are back.

No private companies. Non profits and localities eligible.

This is a BIG legislative development. Lots of impacts. Ill lay them out in this thread
6:47 AM · Feb 15, 2021

lNews and 2 others
1) Earmarks help the leadership govern. People who don’t listen to leadership dont get them. People who do, do. Whether you like them or not, that’s true. Helps institute party loyalty.

2) DeLauro & Leahy gain. As does leadership.

3) Approps lobbyists will see a jump in biz

4) What will House and Senate Rs do? Lots of appropriators want earmarks. But will @GOPLeader and @LeaderMcConnell ban their members from asking for them?
6:50 AM · Feb 15, 2021

[servermsh]

1. This is good, IMHO n/t

[Walleye]

2. I think it's a good thing. It could help us keep Joe Manchin onboard

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Appears that is Manchin's game.

He represents some of the Poorest Counties in the USA.

[Walleye]

14. Whatever it takes at this point in time. Couldn't hurt to put some federal money into West Virginia

[Wellstone ruled]

17. Never understood the Guy from the get go.

You play the game of pay to play,you will end up being eaten alive down the road. West Virginia and North Carolina are trending blue and as usual,the Politicians are behind the curve.

[Turin_C3PO]

3. Good!

[notinkansas]

4. The 43 senators who voted to acquit

can ask, but I would hope nobody listens.

[boston bean]

6. Good. I am very happy to hear it.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Overall a good move, with restrictions...

Lots of corruption in the past on these, so hopefully their restrictions on who and what are eligible can manage that.

[Baked Potato]

8. Good! When earmarks left, bipartisanship stopped.

[scarletwoman]

9. Exactly! I was just about to post the same sentiment.

Earmarks are how both sides of the aisle strike bargains with each other - which means they have to interact and acknowledge each other.

Remember, it was Republicans who banished earmarks.

[Baked Potato]

11. Yes, wasn't it Newt Gingrich?

[scarletwoman]

12. On edit: Not Newt, they were banned by the Republican House in 2011.

Here's an article about it: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/2016/09/15/the-case-for-earmarks-were-they-really-that-bad/

(I read a long piece about earmarks a couple years ago that really impressed me with how removing them removed cooperation between the parties in Congress. But I just can't remember who instigated it. (I'm old) )

[Baked Potato]

13. Me too! (Old) LoL

[Walleye]

15. John McCain was big on eliminating earmarks.

They were called pork barrel. Now people shorten it to pork,and use it to describe any spending they think is wasteful, so the meaning has been lost

[Baked Potato]

18. Thanks for the info!

[scarletwoman]

19. You're welcome! Wikipedia has good information on earmarks also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earmark_(politics)

[uponit7771]

16. Hmmmmm

[aikoaiko]

10. I have to admit earmarks were useful in the quid-pro-quo that is government.

I'm happy to hear that the earmarks are for non-profit or government entities, but I would imagine those groups can hire private companies with the funding.