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DEL.ICIO.USWestmoreland takes the no-pork pledge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the second time this week, a Republican congressman from Georgia has vowed to give up pork.
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Grantville brought home $750,000 last year in earmarked funding. But he said Thursday that he’s giving them up while he tries to reform a process that allows lawmakers to avoid public scrutiny of their pet projects by quietly slipping their funding requests into massive federal spending bills.
“I have two main goals,” Westmoreland said in a statement. “First, I want to lead by example and I want to send a serious message to the people in Georgia’s 3rd District that I share their concern about Washington spending. Second, I want to work to reform how Washington does business.”
Westmoreland’s announcement comes just two days after Republican Rep. Tom Price of Roswell took the no-earmark pledge.
Westmoreland said the use of congressional earmarks is just as bad under Democrats as it was when Republicans controlled Congress. He wants the House to study the use of earmarks - and suspend all earmarks until that study is complete.
Last year, more than 11,000 earmarks worth $15 billion were added to budget bills. Georgia lawmakers submitted 180 of those earmarks worth more than $200 million.
“It’s the same old, same old: It’s more fun to eat pork than to cut the fat,” Westmoreland said. “Year after year, we just loosen our belts a little more. It’s time to step away from the table and control our appetites.”
Comments
By RJ
January 24, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
From what I am able to tell Westmorland is Georgia’s best Bamboozler. He is another ant coming out of the woodworks regarding earmarks. An interested party might want to do a little research to find out how many earmarks he requested when the Republicans dominated Congress. That interested party might also find out what he has done for his district besides play to their racial prejudices and ignorance about the real workings of government.
Besides being wealthy that Congressional district is suppose to be fairly well educated. I wonder why they keep electing someone of his ilk. Perhaps its a case of a disengaged electorate, at least I hope so. Let’s see if he will meet with success this year railing against the ills of liberal Washington. Based upon his past record, declaring his intentions to give up pork this election year is not a good start. What have you done of significance Westmorland since you have been there?
By GaVoter
January 24, 2008 7:09 PM | Link to this
If Mr. Westmoreland is sincerely interested in “trimming the fat”, then I — as a fiscal conservative — fully support him. However, if he is attempting to ride a wave of public dis-content, then he deserves to be thrown out with the fat. I want to see some real, measurable results and I want to see them repeatedly.
By Jim S.
January 24, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Someone paying attention may ask, Why not take the pledge when you were the party in power and able to get bigger projects in your districts? But the answer, I fear, is obvious: This is just a sham to get the Republicans back in power to run up the national debt a few trillion more! Hey tell Lynn and Tom thanks for being such great stewards of our great grandchildren’s debt up there. Maybe they’re hoping Jesus will come back and save us all from their brand of fiscal conservatism…okay, maybe that’s over the top, sorry Jesus.