Sen. Jim Bunning's (Republican, KY) blockage of the unemployment benefit extension and the release of money for public works projects already in motion is being covered extensively. Well over 1,000 related articles come up in a recent Google search. Bunning's blockage seems to be yet another brick in the Republican party's concerted efforts to grind government to a halt. The Senator, says he is just making his stand as a defense against unbridled spending.
What doesn't seem to be covered is that this same frugal Senator defending the country's purse strings is the same Senator that had no problem with personally earmarking over $18 million dollars in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
And that $$18 million is only what he personally earmarked...
In addition to the over $18 million in personal earmarks, Bunning also co-sponsored earmarks worth nearly $52 million. That means the Kentucky Senator was directly responsible for $70 million in earmarks last year alone.
Granted, many of these earmarks were legitimate and beneficial for Kentucky residents. It's hard to say that money for a waste water treatment facility in the city of Ewing is a boondoggle, or that money for Appalachia Service Project which provides home repair services for Kentucky's low-income families isn't helping fellow citizens. Combined in three separate earmarks, these amount to under a million dollars.
Interestingly. though, Bunning combines with notorious pork hog Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican, KY)in 2008 and again in 2009 to earmark $7 million for anti-sniper infrared targeting systems. McConnell is the Senate minority leader and has been stunningly silent about Bunning's blockage of aid to the 10 percent of Americans out of work.
McConnell's silence should come as no surprise.
The leader of the Republican party in the Senate single-handedly earmarked nearly $700 million and had his hand in co-sponsoring nearly $1.3 billion (yes, that's billion with a 'B')in earmarks in fiscal 2008-2009.
Apparently, it's extremely important to earmark $7 million dollars for anti-sniper systems, but not as important to allow a vote to continue an extension of unemployment and COBRA benefits in an economy that shows around 10 percent unemployment. That's 400,000 Americans directly hurt by Bunning's misplaced obstinence and the Republican party's continued policy of "just say no" to everything.
And, although Bunning's "tough sh**!" was directed at the 10 percent of America searching for work, the Republican party's "just say no" policy is a big "tough sh**!" to all Americans.