Year after year, the late John Murtha used his influence on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to bring tens of millions of dollars in earmarks to his district--hard hit by the declining fortunes of the steel and coal industries--to in effect create a new economic base fueled on federal spending. Sen. Robert Byrd did the same for West Virginia. But do such efforts actually work? Does spending taxpayer money spur private sector development?
A new study from researchers at the Harvard Business School suggests that the answer is no; that public spending doesn't ... Continue reading
Americans for a Great America
I’m really sick of these deceptively named front groups that try to pretend to be the opposite of what they... View Article
Continue readingMedicare data reveals nursing home abuse and neglect
Resident #208 was found by inspectors at Capital Healthcare Center in Tallahassee, Fla., in a pool of urine. On July 16, 2009, inspectors found that the the resident -- who was incontinent -- hadn't been changed for five hours.
Other residents complained of ill treatment; one told inspectors he or she had fallen several times recently, and was then accused of faking those falls "to get staff in trouble." (The reports hide the identities of those making allegations.)
The reports go on. The facility was cited on multiple occasions for allowing pressure sores to develop on immobile patients, giving unnecessary catheters ...
Scandal Plagued West Virginia Lawmaker Goes Down
So, Rep. Alan Mollohan was defeated in a Democratic primary yesterday. He was the second incumbent to lose in the... View Article
Continue readingBig Day for Earmark Transparency
Today’s a big day for earmark transparency. Bill Allison just wrote up some reactions to today’s coming Senate bill, the... View Article
Continue readingDCCC invokes Murtha to aid Critz
A friend and colleague passes along the following email the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is sending out, signed by the widow of the late Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., Joyce Murtha:
It is bittersweet to write this e-mail so soon after Jack's passing. While nobody can ever fill Jack's shoes, I am heartened to see Mark Critz, Jack's former Director for Economic Development, running for the seat my husband proudly held for 36 years. With the polls neck and neck heading into the final stretch, I am asking for your support so Mark can win this ...Continue reading
Case study in trying to analyze earmark data
Each year, Congress allocates billions in earmarks that come in the form of annual appropriation committee requests or are attached to various bills that become law. The Sunlight Foundation thought it would be interesting to examine which earmarks, after all the Congressional debate and bluster has dispensed, actually get spent.
We thought a good example would be the $23 billion in transportation earmarks from SAFETEA-LU, The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. The act authorized spending on highways, transit systems, port facilities, bus routes and other projects from its passage in August 2005 to what ...
From earmark to disappearmark: Bush administration policy shift cut funding for congressional projects
In 2005, Rep. David Price, D-N.C., earmarked more than $19.6 million to launch a light rail project in his district—one that he had promised to continue his “strong support for” by finding additional federal funding though his position on the House Appropriations Committee.
The light rail project was authorized by SAFETEA-LU, a law enacted in 2005 that was notable for the billions in earmarks it funded—including questionable projects like the “bridges to nowhere” in Alaska and the Prairie Parkway in Illinois.
Yet the light rail project Price sought funding for was ... Continue reading
Earmark Transparency Makes More Sense Than a Ban
The recent policies imposed by the House Appropriations Committee and the House Republican Caucus to ban for-profit earmarks and all... View Article
Continue readingEarmark Season: Republicans up the ante on Democratic for-profit ban
Following the announcement by Rep. David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Norm Dicks, incoming chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, that members can no longer earmark funs to for profit companies, the House Republicans have adopted a one-year moratorium on earmark requests.
The deadline for House members to submit earmark requests to the Appropriations Committee is March 19.
As of now, neither Senate Democrats or Republicans have announced any changes to their earmarking procedures, so for-profit companies could still receive earmarks and Republican Senators could request earmarks for districts represented by House G.O.P ...
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