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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Check out Rob’s letter to the editor.

Check out Rob’s letter to the editor in today’s Grand Forks Herald.

MINOT — I had to chuckle when I read former Democratic candidate (and former aide to Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.) Kristin Hedger’s column in favor of earmarks — aka government pork — in the Saturday Herald (“Congressional earmarks serve a vital national purpose,” Page A4).

I’m not surprised that Hedger loves government pork given that her family’s business, Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, got a big, juicy earmark courtesy of her old boss. To quote from an August press release from Dorgan’s office: “U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad … have secured more than $8 million to help KMM develop new technologies for the military.”

It’s easy to be in favor of pork spending when you’re more on the getting end than on the giving end. Chalk it up to the enticing allure of other people’s money.

On a serious note, however, I’d point out that Dorgan’s direction of public money to his political supporters is exactly the sort of political backscratching that gives earmark appropriations a bad name.

Rob Port

Port is the owner of Say Anything blog, http://www.sayanythingblog.com.

Comments

In the last election cycle it looks like the Hedgers donated a $1000 apiece to both Conrad and Dorgan.

Pretty good return for their money.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on April 23, 2008 at 12:26 pm

Actually smart investors contribute to both candidates, unless they know only one is a shoe-in.

You don’t know for a fact you will get something from it, but it does open the door for you to allow you to make a pitch.

How you fix that I don’t know, because even without earmarks, that is an existing reality in Washington.

Carrick on April 23, 2008 at 02:25 pm

You say “investors,” I say “grafters”.

Lets call the whole thing off.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on April 23, 2008 at 03:07 pm
Rob
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Actually smart investors contribute to both candidates, unless they know only one is a shoe-in.

Carrick, Conrad and Dorgan are both Democrats and were both in office during the last election.  Conrad was up for re-election, Dorgan wasn’t (he’s up again in 2010).


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on April 23, 2008 at 04:26 pm

Rob:-
I like it. Short, sweet, and cutting. My favorite arguments are those where they are presented in such a manner one can almost exclude the conclusion.
Contra, I’d point out that domestic defense spending in rural areas is sometimes quite good. As long as its not some antiquated machinery being produced for too much on no bid deals i.e. WTF with the ‘Crusader’?


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on April 23, 2008 at 07:42 pm
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