I’m personally loving the fact that with everything going on, the Republicans have decided to spend the next two years dealing with an inconsequential portion of the budget. And they’ll probably lose the battle, to boot.
I suppose this is a glimmer of good news. Maybe they will be too occupied to do real damage to the country.
Sly
In the spirit of kicking moderate conservatives in the balls for tacitly endorsing a bunch of feckless criminal assholes, there’s this: Taking a cue from Krugzilla, Steve Benen takes the Shrill and kicks it up a notch:
I’m sure David Broder will sagely shake his head before declaring that Democrats are just as bad.
justawriter
Prepare for a changing of the pseudonym. Earmarks are forthwith forever banned. The line forms on the right for requests for “directed spending.”
meh
this is where I think you are wrong sir. They will lose – but they will spin it that it was Democratic obstructionism to fiscal reform, thus they need filibuster proof majorities to overcome that and get this country back on track to fiscal “sanity”. And they will get what they want because we are stupid.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@justawriter: Maybe more things can get correctly labeled. The next thing I hope to see is Bachmann’s name in the Congressional rolls changed to “Crazy woman with a strong breeze between her ears.”
The Grand Panjandrum
Thanks Cole! This really is more red meat for the wolverines in the BJ commentariat. We need a new tag: Red Meat For the Wolverines! (In honor of Michael D, or course.)
Zifnab
I, personally, expect a condemnation of NPR, a flood of Tea Party inspired bills threatening to defund everything from the Department of Education to the salary of the President, and – of course – the endless Darrell Issa investigation-of-non-scandal-scandals parade.
The earmark fight is in the Senate. And since Republicans don’t control the Senate, it makes sense that they’ll spend their time bickering over irrelevant bullshit. But the House is going to be incredibly painful to watch, as it’s going to be half “Everybody in America gets a free pony if this bill passes” and half “OMG! The Democrats are trying to rape the death paneled body of your freshly murdered wife!”
Rathskeller
it’s nice that they’re screwing themselves up this way, but the key thing is the tax earmarks. My blood boils when I see tax modifications that, stripped of the pseudo-generic language, mean “Acme Co doesn’t have to pay this tax.”
Walker
It is going to be very interesting to see what they do to research funding. That is the area that I am expecting the republicans to do the most damage.
TwinMom
My husband is almost out of unemployment benefits and may not have the chance to get an extension. Unfortunately for my family the worst case scenario may well come true.
WyldPirate
It’s funny how the “debate” over earmarks is so similar to the brouhaha percolating about over airport security screening and the fucking stupid ban with the caffeinated alcoholic drinks.
All of them are ineffectual actions over essentially inconsequential problems that demonstrate America’s ability to get distracted over the most meaningless shit and the inability of its leadership or its people to evaluate and assess risk.
Culture of Truth
Nobody said they were geniuses.
arguingwithsignposts
@The Grand Panjandrum:
That’s going to leave a mark. And just to think I missed all the weekend navel-gazing.
Ash Can
That’s fine. Seriously, I doubt that the House Republicans are bright enough not to overplay their hand. I can easily see them taking the “we’re in charge, we have a mandate” theme and running blindly with it. I don’t think they’ll be able to help themselves.
Congress is already polling lousy. I don’t see these jerks endearing themselves to too many people over the coming months.
chopper
hey, let’s give obama the power to distribute earmark money! this is great.
BR
OT, but somehow appropriate. Professor at University of Central Florida catches his Strategic Management class cheating on a mass scale, and calls them on it:
http://kottke.org/10/11/how-not-to-cheat-your-way-through-college
The Grand Panjandrum
@arguingwithsignposts: Just getting caught up myself so I couldn’t resist the temptation to be “unserious” and “stupid” (which isn’t much of a stretch for me, btw).
Corner Stone
Just watching the TSA pat downs on TV is disgraceful. How scared we all are.
Corner Stone
@arguingwithsignposts: You missed it?
Apparently we all “demanded” ED Kain leave, and failing that we demanded Cole let us “vote” on the outcome.
bemused
@Belafon (formerly anonevent):
Bachmann is redefining her stance on earmarks by saying that earmarks need to be redefined. Golly gee, bridges and highways shouldn’t be counted as earmarks. At the same time, she was telling GOP freshmen at a pep rally don’t retreat on principles.
Cravaack who beat out Jim Oberstar has finally spoken since the election. His first priorities are repealing HCR and banning earmarks. He also promises to really listen to his constituents which still are largely Dem on the Iron Range and in St. Louis County. Hopefully he will get the idea that everyone in his district are not tea partiers if Dems actually pick themselves off their sofas and call his office next January,
Corner Stone
Why would Napolitano and Lautenberg hold this press conference in a subway station? They have to stop every 45 seconds due to automated loudspeaker announcements.
This is part of the damned stupid messaging going on.
cleek
@Corner Stone:
well, a vocal minority is scared; and politicians are afraid to get caught being insufficiently cautious. and the rest of us are being dragged down with the both of them.
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
This is a feature not a bug for the “fiscal conservatives” (so-called). It is vitally important that they lose on some symbolic and largely meaningless issue like earmarks, so they can continue to blame the liberals when paradise fails to arrive despite them having gotten most of what they want on the substantive issues (i.e. cutbacks in the social safety net) involving much larger amounts of money.
It is all part of the con.
Roger Moore
Sorry, John. There are plenty of things that demand action right now, so getting caught up in minutia can be just as disastrous as wrong action. Worrying about earmarks is the Republicans’ version of fiddling while Rome burns.
liberal
@Walker:
Doubt they’ll damage NIH much, given that everyone wants to live forever, and how much money they get from pharma.
Anoniminous
Aside from – off the top o’ me head:
The US financial system is bankrupt.
The U6 unemployment rate is running around 17%.
Thousands of homes have been abandoned by the banks who fraudulently foreclosed on ’em is wrecking the tax base of local governments.
We now know the Saudis DID, in fact, overstate their oil reserves bring Peak Oil that much closer.
Global Climate Change, as evidence by the North Atlantic Oscillation, precedes apace.
The US can’t generate enough jobs to meet the demand of people entering the workforce, much less the existing workforce.
The US is stuck in two stupid, expensive, wars.
The Constitutional freedoms and liberties we formerly semi-enjoyed are being eliminated.
The US infrastructure is falling apart cuz that’s what happens when you don’t repair and maintain stuff.
The US spends the largest amount of money for Health Care of all the OCED countries and gets the least benefit from that money.
There’s nothing going on so worrying about earmarks makes a lot of sense.
To me.
(Also)
Linda Featheringill
@Corner Stone:
Did you really miss it? Oh, my.
The above quote is, of course, snark. Not at all the way I remember it but it may be the way Mr. Kain and Mr. Cole remember it.
I remember that we got pissed off because Kain went behind our backs and talked trash about us and then Kain got all defensive and said he would be happy to leave if we wanted him to and Cole got all offensive and said for us to leave his widdle fwiend alone and said that he [Cole] was in charge and we ignored Cole roundly and wished Kain a good life.
And popcorn sales all over the country spiked.
An Uncivil (but decent) Duck
The Grand Panjandrum: Since the only reason anyone paid attention to Michael D as a Front Pager was to tell him how breathtakingly, spetacularly, cluelessly wrong he was, why should anyone care that he is boohooing on Balko’s shoulder. One would thinkk that his GBCW post was embarassing enough, but apparently not.
ornery curmudgeon
Michael D was a disappointment and continues, amazingly, to disappoint … that’s harder to do than some might think. This weekend’s EDK/Cole show was just embarrassing.
Overall, yes, it’s a good thing there’s nothing important going on.
Comrade Kevin
@An Uncivil (but decent) Duck: That comment of his was like him putting a big “KICK ME” sign on his own back.
Svlad Jelly
The Dems should kill earmarks right now just so we can all watch those retards flail. Do it for the Lulz, Nancy.
HyperIon
@Linda Featheringill:
are you four years old?
RalfW
Also from the Hill today, Dems go after GOP for balanced budget amendment and Bush tax cuts, two mutually incompatible positions: