John Cheves: "McCain's Their Guy, But KY. GOP Does Love Pork" -- And John McCain HATES It!

John Cheves of the Herald-Leader does an excellent job of pointing out the dichotomy between where John McCain stands on "Pork" and where the rest of Kentucky's Congressional delegation stands on it. Instead of trying to paraphrase him, let me let you read his piece here. It is also reprinted below:

Republican John McCain says he'll veto all congressional earmarks if he's elected president and use the savings – about $18 billion a year – to help offset his tax cuts.

No surprise: Throughout his long Senate career, McCain protested the special projects tucked into federal spending bills by lawmakers with little review, calling them ”wasteful pork“ and ”outrageous and obscene.“

But McCain's war on earmarks could turn into friendly fire for Kentucky's two biggest Republicans now united behind his campaign, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Congressman Hal Rogers.

Both are senior members of their chambers' appropriations committees and have earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars over the decades. As a result, Kentucky is one of the porkier states, with an estimated $56 in earmarked spending per resident compared to the $33 national average.

Are McConnell and Rogers ready to kiss their earmarks goodbye if their man wins in November?

Hardly, said David Williams, vice president of Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-partisan spending watchdog in Washington.

”McCain has been battling earmarks in Congress, and folks like Mitch McConnell and Hal Rogers have been battling him,“ Williams said. ”Given their party loyalty, they're probably holding their noses and hoping that if McCain is elected president, they can – quote-unquote – "work with him' and see if they can't keep their status quo going.“

McConnell did not return calls this week seeking comment.

Calling the hogs

Rogers, of Somerset, said he supports McCain ”wholeheartedly“ – except on the subject of earmarks.

”Critical issues facing the people of southern and eastern Kentucky have long been ignored by federal and state bureaucrats, and without earmarks, many ongoing and worthy initiatives in my district would simply wither on the vine,“ Rogers said in a statement. ”Whether it's cleaning up the hillsides and roadsides through the PRIDE campaign, or eliminating the devastation of drug abuse through the UNITE program, I firmly believe that directed congressional spending can do a lot of good.“

Kentucky may be a conservative state that favors McCain in polls, but pork still wins votes here. Incumbents are happy to rattle the stick in the swill bucket – calling the hogs to supper – as Election Day approaches.

In his re-election bid this year, McConnell touts all the federal money he has hauled for public and private projects. McConnell sponsored or co-sponsored nearly $195 million in earmarks in 2008, including money for city buses in Paducah, computers for the Barren County sheriff's office and a Louisville technology venture represented by his former chief of staff, Hunter Bates, a lobbyist whose clients have enjoyed a number of McConnell earmarks.

”This was a tough year in the appropriations process, but after a long fight, Kentucky came out a winner,“ McConnell said in a Dec. 19 press release. ”I will continue to use my seniority in the United States Senate to help bring home funding.“

Rogers takes credit for bringing billions of dollars to his 5th Congressional District since he was elected in 1980, partly through earmarks. Government facilities he has brought to his counties, including three federal prisons, employ 1,600 people. Although he stands for re-election this year, he is so popular that the Democrats didn't bother to run anyone against him.

”Pork is the bad word for making good things happen,“ Rogers said in a 2006 interview.

In this environment, where local voters demand that national taxpayers get the bill for their wish lists, McConnell and Rogers can comfortably share a stage with McCain as he blasts the fiscal irresponsibility of earmarks, said Michael Baranowski, a political scientist at Northern Kentucky University.

”A lot depends on how you define earmark,“ Baranowski said.

”When people think "earmark,' they think of something like a National Polka Music Appreciation Museum somewhere else. They don't think about their local projects,“ Baranowski said. ”So Sen. McConnell can say, "Well, no, I don't support earmarks either, I support these fine projects that are essential public investments in my home state.'“

”There's a disconnect there, and I think Sen. McConnell and Congressman Rogers are counting on that disconnect,“ he said.

Losing patience?

However, 2008 could be the year that genuine conservatives lose patience with entrenched Republican incumbents who grease their path to re-election with deficit spending, said Jim Waters, director of policy and communications for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, a free-market think tank in Bowling Green.

”True conservatives are getting to the boiling point,“ Waters said. ”Too many Kentuckians see government as the sole provider. The politicians play off that, saying, "You can't get rid of me! The next fellow won't have all the clout I have to bring you all this!'“

Kentucky's two Democratic congressmen – Ben Chandler of Versailles and John Yarmuth of Louisville – don't face the same dilemma in backing their party's choice for president, Barack Obama. While Obama has made noises as a senator about reforming earmarks and enacting a one-year moratorium, he hasn't shown anywhere near the fierce opposition of McCain, who has refused to submit earmarks on behalf of Arizona.

In a sense, McConnell and Rogers could be better off if Obama wins. Under a President McCain who vetoes their earmarks, the Republicans would have to decide whether to support their new president or vote with the expected Democratic congressional majorities to override the vetoes, said Steve Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan watchdog.

”This isn't the first time that people in politics have had to hitch their wagon to someone they don't necessarily agree with and then hope they can figure out how to handle him after Inauguration Day,“ Ellis said.
Reach John Cheves at (859) 231-3266.

Editor's comment: I have ALWAYS supported Senator Mitch McConnell's GREAT efforts in bringing home the "BACON".

It is NOT because I feel that is how our government needs to be run, but it is because as long as the "BACON" is there to be brought home and nearly EVERY Senator is feeding at the trough, I am NOT going to be in the habit of preventing my elected official (and I have ALWAYS voted for and supported the Senator) from feeding at the trough, too.

UNTIL there is a consensus on this subject (and maybe, if John McCain becomes President he can make that happen), requiring ALL to abstain from the HABIT of "PORKING", I congratulate our Senator for getting OURS back home to US.