We are midway through the August Congressional recess, and as people who know me have heard me say often, the best thing about a Congressional recess is that you can relax for a short period knowing your pocketbook is safe while Congress is not in session. I guess one month of recess is not too much to ask after nearly 4 months of record breaking spending. All the appropriations bills have now passed the House and how many the Senate will take up is yet to be determined. Recently the group Club for Growth came out with their 2007 "RePORK Card" listing the 50 earmark stripping amendments and how each member of Congress voted for these amendments.
Even after the new Democrat majority pledged to restore "fiscal responsibility" to Congress, only 1 of the 50 amendments to strip pork from the appropriations bills passed. Only 16 members of Congress, all Republican, scored a 100% voting for all 50 amendments to cut pork spending. The average Republican score was 43% and the average Democrat score was 2%. The average score for appropriator members of Congress was 4%. Out of 435 members of Congress, 105 of them received a 0%, voting against every pork-cutting amendment.
Fiscal responsibility? I will let you be the judge. To see the RePORK Card, click here.