"Paul, Culberson defend earmarks for area projects" - Houston Chronicle

[Spirit of '76]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4935311.html

[angrydragon]

Oy, gotta register to leave comments. I know they're purposely leaving parts out of their article about Ron. Although they mentioned that Ron had a duty to bring his districts tax money back to them, they left out the part where he votes no on the spending bills that has his own earmarks in them.

[Spirit of '76]

Oy, gotta register to leave comments. I know they're purposely leaving parts out of their article about Ron. Although they mentioned that Ron had a duty to bring his districts tax money back to them, they left out the part where he votes no on the spending bills that has his own earmarks in them.

No, it's in there. They even quote a mayor as saying that he doesn't understand why he votes against the bills if it means the district doesn't get the funding.


Paul defended his support of earmarks, which also include numerous water and highway projects in his Gulf Coast district, saying that, although he does not like the current budget process, he wants money returned to his district as funding is doled out nationwide.

"I don't think they should take our money in the first place," he said. "But if they take it, I think we should ask for it back."

The way it works in Paul's office is that local groups and officials from his district make pitches to him for federal funding. The congressman passes along those recommendations to the Appropriations Committee as earmark requests. Paul said he tries to treat everyone equally and rejects few requests. He said it would be unfair "for me to close the door and say this is a bunch of junk."

But in the end, Paul said, he would likely vote against the spending bills even if they included earmarks he sought.

This month in his weekly column, Paul expressed his philosophy about his opposition to proposed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

"Our founding fathers devised a system of governance that limited federal activity very narrowly," he wrote. "When Washington does something it does so at the direct expense of taxpayers."

Paul's support of at least one earmark, the renovation of Edna Theater, was greeted skeptically by a part-owner of the theater, Edna Mayor Joe Hermes. He noted that the congressman often voted against spending bills even when they contained projects for his district.

"Which doesn't make real good sense," Hermes said. The owners have been hoping to convert the shuttered theater, which opened in 1949, into a place the chamber of commerce could use.

"I hope he will not keep to the same pattern as he has in the past and make an effort to see that it actually happens," Hermes said of Paul.

[angrydragon]

Oh hehe, must have read too fast. Reading the comments left on the article as well, made me think it was left out.

Congressman Jeff Flake (Arizona guys?), I wonder if we could get him to endorse Ron Paul. I believe he said he admires and follows Ron Paul's conservatism.

[Spirit of '76]

Yeah, sometimes I think people leave comments before they even read the articles. :)

[Silverback]

Most people don't read articles.

Of those who do, most people don't comprehend what they've read.

That's why headlines are written the way they are.

[lonestarguy]

Speaking of Flake, I don't know what in heavens has gotten into Congressman Flake of Arizona. He was a leading Republican proponent of the immigration bill, along with Democrat Congressman Guiterrez.

I mean, I don't think the Rs lost the House because of immigration last November. It was because of their support of the disastrous Iraq War. Flake could redemn himself by coming to Jesus over the proposed immigration debacle and by endorsing RP now!