Mac is back (on the Hill)

Posted: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 4:25 PM by Carrie Dann
Filed Under: Congress, Economy

From NBC's Carrie Dann

In his first Capitol Hill press conference since his defeat in the November election, John McCain was back to fighting his favorite fight -- the one against pork barrel spending. Now flanked by two Democrats -- including one of his particularly tough critics during the election -- McCain took on the "evil" of earmarks.

"It's obvious at least some Members of Congress don't know how serious the economic situation is," McCain said of colleagues who use earmarking loopholes to fund frivolous pet projects in their home states.

Along with Russ Feingold (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Tom Coburn (R-OK), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), McCain hopes to severely limit the practice of adding to legislation "unauthorized" earmarks -- meaning appropriations that bypass the normal vetting and authorization process through Senate subcommittees.

Under the bipartisan proposal, unauthorized earmarks would be subject to a point of order that would require passage by a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. Additionally, the bill would require appropriations reports to be posted publicly 48 before Senate consideration.

McCain appeared today with cosponsors including Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, who once derided McCain's "lies" and accused the GOP nominee of being "obsessed" with his opponent. (McCaskill said that she was "tickled pink" to share the stage with the former candidate today.)

McCain had praise for McCaskill today, and he had kind words for Barack Obama, saying that he's "very encouraged" by the president-elect's pledge to scrub any earmarks from a massive stimulus bill.

Although his presidential ambitions have dissolved, McCain's wry humor hasn't gone anywhere. Feingold ribbed the former nominee, noting that their previous bipartisan effort was subject to a mischievous advertisement on Saturday Night Live for "McCain Fine Gold."

Taking the podium, McCain dryly added, "It's still a wonderful bargain."

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Comments

the four musketeers. keep working. this is a good thing.

ace (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 4:46 PM)

Pigs at the trough. Pigs at the trough. They may be wearing suits and pant-suits. But their still pigs.

Ida Walton, IA (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 4:46 PM)

As far as I can see, McCain's had 26 years to curtail earmarks. Why should we think he's suddenly got the answer? We have to look to Obama, and maybe only to Obama, on this issue.

Like the Wizard of Oz, he's got one thing that the blustery, cowardly lion McCain doesn't have. A veto pen.

Anna Molly (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 4:48 PM)

Lynn, Chicago - From a previous Thread:

The best thing we could leave for our kids is a sense of serenity and frugality. God forbid we continue to teach them to live like the materialistic animals American adults have become and that our childen are becoming. Many kids arround this world have lived, and happily, with much less then our children. I don't begrudge our kids a nice future, believe me, but if we spent as much time worrying about their souls and what truly can make them more stable and happy then we do about their damn retirement plans, I think they would do just fine, most likely better. Plus the fact our kids are not going to have any retirement plans if we don't start producing jobs regardless of the deficit they face.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 4:53 PM)

As soon as I learned I could lobby my congressman for project money, they want to take away my piece of the pie. Guess I will not be able to start that Sons of Davey Crocket foundation in San Antonio. Now I will have to find out how to buy 60 votes from senators, so I can get my 2 million hand dollar out.

TEC-SPRING-TX (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:00 PM)

For us every dollar counts toward balancing the family budget, likewise every million dollar counts toward balancing America's budget. Politicians have been running around throwing our money away like monkeys on crack for too long. Let's hope this is the end of uncontested earmarks in Washington and a new era of fiscal responsibility.

Joe Sepeda,Early, Texas (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:07 PM)

Anna Molly - As far as I can see, McCain's had 26 years to curtail earmarks.

He's curtailed his own. He has ZERO.

Not much you can do if the majority of the Senate doesn't want to follow suit. That's all you can do is set a good example and point out the others that are partaking.

Mark Earrs (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:22 PM)

As Nipsey Russell once said:

George Washington threw a silver dollar
Into the Patomac River one day
Since then our government in Washington DC
Has been throwing our money away.

JT (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:28 PM)

C A, AL - Plus the fact our kids are not going to have any retirement plans if we don't start producing jobs regardless of the deficit they face.

The "We" you speak of for producing jobs is not, and cannot be, the government. "We" produce jobs as individuals running businesses. For every job the government produces, I believe it destorys at least 2 other private sector jobs through it's excessive taxation and regulations. Putting the jobs on the national credit card is not the way to produce jobs either, you just lose them later when you have to raise taxes to pay off the country's Amex card.

Think about it. Bush just got done throwing a trillion dollars on the debt. Obama wants to do the same, and not just once, but multiple times. That's just wrong. There's a better way. We take a few of our lumps in the economy today, the government starts to cut it's spending, and we grow the economy on a fiscally sound base rather then the pile of sand the government is setting down for a foundation today.

Lynn S., Chicago (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:30 PM)

I am so glad that adults are in charge, not spoiled frat boys.

D. A. Reuter, Bremerton, WA (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:42 PM)

Mack the knife is back gonna slash dem piggies. I wonder how he will explain to the residents of Phoenix or Tucson why Arizona isn't getting federal funds for certain vital projects the state can't afford on its own. Maybe he'll just write a bill and see an up or down vote and not try to tuck it into something else.
Note:
Those piggy bills were why Clinton, twice, vetoed the budget bills put up by the Republican led Congress. They put riders on the bills that were not good for the country. Some of those riders were pork others just plain poppycock. Because they couldn't cram the agenda down our throats Newt Gingrich resigned from the House. (His contract ON America)

eagle1776 (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 5:53 PM)

The truth is that Sarah Palin stands more for the Republican base than John McCain. McCain was easy on Obama while Palin took him apart. McCain gave up on Michigan while Palin thought they had a shot. I don't blame Palin for going "rogue" just a little bit. I'm disappointed in McCain and now that he's lost to Obama Hollywood welcomes him back into the fold. He always was their favorite Republican.

Sarah in Cincinnati (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 6:10 PM)

I think the house and the senate shouldn't be allowed to attach earmarks on anything, period. This should be written into the law. Millions of dollars are wasted on crap they stick in those bills. That's our money! The representatives act like it's all a game of who can get one over on whom. Well, I for one have had enough of their wasteful spending. Obama needs to go through each bill line by line before signing anything, and delete any hint of earmarks. I heard that tomorrow they all get a cost of living raise automatically, unless the vote it down? They shouldn't get a dime more! Their salaries should be frozen for the next five years at least, or until the rest of the country is put back to work!

Joanne from Blaine, Maine (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 6:47 PM)

Senator McEarmark should stop taking trips with Joshmo and Lindsay/Pindsay all over the world at the expense of the taxpayer unless Cindy pays for them. He showed during the campaing that he knew nothing except to drop names, say he knows how to do everything without telling anybody how he would do it And last but not least, he unleashed Sarah Palin on the world. Well, my friends, that is how he will be remembered in history -------for choosing the worst vp candidate in the history of the US. Why don't you report on worthile senators like Judd Gregg, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins instead of John, the Entertainer.

GW, Vancouver, Canada (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 7:49 PM)

C.A. Tuscaloosa:

I spend my time worrying about their souls AND their retirement plans. It's not that hard and seems to be working out well so far. They've even survived their father the Republican. One of them even got me Michael Medved's "10 Big Lies About America" despite the fact that I suspect he voted for Obama.

In some things it is possible, even easy, to multi-task. And co-exist with different viewpoints.

Speaking for myself, I'm not a materialistic animal and neither are my children. I know you didn't intend to generalize or stereotype anyone.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 7:51 PM)

First things first - is he ever going to tell anyone "how to get Bin Laden"? Didn't McCain introduced legislation yesterday that included pork for his state? The only good thing about that legislation was that it was to protect land, which is what we should be doing more of.

stephanie, ft. pierce, fl. (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 8:56 PM)

What will it take for Graham to remove his head from mccain's butt??

Steve, Jonesboro IN (Sent Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:35 PM)

Anna,

McCain has the solution and has for years - no earmarks. Its a simple solution that Congress (Dems and Republicans including Obama) have been unwilling to do. The legislation that McCain, Feingold, etc are drafting will greatly help. The only thing we can look to Obama on this is to sign it if it gets to him. BTW, his veto won't help this. Only a line item veto will, which the President doen't have. I wish Obama well but he's still just one man and not the answer to everything.

Jim (Sent Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:52 AM)

sure the economy is so bad now and the pork, and earmarks over the years cost the taxpayers deeply...This is a away to make a show of concern when these people were the big spenders.....Its just like that congressman who want to cancel a hearing so he and his cronies can go to a football game, while many americans cant afford it but are just worried about tommorrow....yep Washington knows how to take care of itself....If that was my congressman i would vote the bum out.......Even in maine i havent heard any thing from my congresman or senators as to how they will help ous recover, figures there safe for now from the voters and are hopefully waiting for this crisis to recover....

Russell Fox Wells, Me (Sent Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:57 AM)

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