REP. DON YOUNG HITS THE POTHOLE - Just a Minute for Tuesday 12-16-08

            Howdy Again…

 

            Today we re-visit the ‘infamous’ Bridge to Nowhere’ – a fabled earmark by soon to be Ex Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska who marked out a big chunk of taxpayer money to serve a small island in Alaska which if built should have been done by the State not the Federal Government. Well… that was just the beginning.

 

            Once a war on “Earmarks” became a part of the 2008 campaign – greater scrutiny began to be turned on those “midnight legislative goodies” that for too long have haunted the halls of government, local, state and national. Sen. Stevens had been noted for his “bringin’ home the bacon” as it used to be called… the generality called ‘pork barrelling’ – looking out after the ‘folks back home’ with special favors – which of course plays havoc with trying to control spending at any level.

 

            Well, Sen. Stevens – although still loved by many of his fellow Alaskans because of the bacon/pork he could garner because he was either the ranking member or the committee chairman controlling the money – was the  deer caught in the headlights this year – and he was beaten by a Democratic opponent – although not by much. The trend toward reining in the spending profligates got more intense when Gov. Palin beat out sitting Gov. Murkowski, who had been one of Alaska’s two senators – Murkowski appointed his own daughter to fill his vacated seat – which didn’t do him a lot of good with the folks back home – but she has proven to be able to stand her ground in the Senate. Meantime Alaska’s only congressman Rep. Don Young had gained quite a reputation himself for pork – and the spotlight swung his way.

 

            Today’s Just A Minute takes a look at what’s happening there. Mr. Young has been demoted from his pork barrel perch by Minority Leader John Baynor who finds himself in the crosshairs of not being able to call a halt to log-rolling spending. It’s detailed a bit in the script below and the audio track. Eventually the sleeping giant of the American public awakens – but usually remains drowsy – while his feeders – the lobbyists, maintain his roly-poly diet.

 

            The price of getting spending under control here is just like it is at home… discipline and order – and quit ordering second helpings.

 

            Cordially, IN HIM

 

 

            Jack Buttram

 

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/audio/jama12-16-08.mp3

 

http://www.jebcovoice.net/scripts/jamt12-16-08.doc

 

 

“JUST A MINUTE”

REP. DON YOUNG HITS THE POTHOLE

JUST A MINUTE – OK, although GOP Rep. Don Young of Alaska retained his congressional seat, his margin in November was barely 50 percent.  But he’s been bounced from his top GOP rank on the House Natural Resources Committee (an important one for Alaska) – a post he’s held since 1994.

Also he’s been dumped from the agenda-setting Republican Steering Committee. Plus he’s hired a top lawyer for $20,000 bucks which some say means he fears coming corruption charges. On top of that he may get a strong competitive race at the end of this coming term. If that happens it may come as a strong primary challenge next year by Sean Parnell, Mrs. Palin's lieutenant governor.

Of the “good ole boys” running Alaska B.P. (Before Palin) the first to go was Frank Murkowski, former governor who appointed his own daughter to the Senate seat he vacated. Next was Sen. Ted Stevens who was the longest serving GOP member of the Senate. So… Maybe the bridge to nowhere is in place after all.

<> I’m Jack Buttram

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