Monday, July 31, 2006
Melissa Bean Positions Herself to Campaign Against Pork
Imagine my surprise to learn that 8th congressional district congresswoman Melissa Bean is now against pork.I seem to remember her announcing this highway project and that highway project just last year.
Her press release is dated July 29, 2005.
What a difference a year makes.
Will she mimick Democratic Party Presidental candidate John Kerry and explain, "I voted for it before I voted against it?"
She votes for almost all of the appropriation bills and claimed that she was responsible for securing $24 million of district funding in the Tranportation bill that was signed into law last summer. If she has a plan to reduce spending, it has not made a big splash.
Now, however, she is the only Illinois congressman to vote for eliminating at least 14 (out of 19) pork projects. She voted for all 19 amendments. Note that her sponsor Rahm Emanuel voted against all of the the amendments.
Expect a TV ad with a little porker as a visual effect.
A list of those who voted in favor of at least 14 of the 19 amendments appears at Hog Heaven. Under the heading, “House Members Who Voted Against Pork.” They are listed alphabetically.
David Hogberg, the man who did the research, calls them “taxpayer heroes” in The American Spectator article.
The Club for Growth—a fund raising group that favors lower federal spending—has developed a chart where one can check how one’s local congressman voted on the amendments.
Here, in alphabetical order, are how Illinois congressmen voted on the 19 amendments offered by Congressman Jeff Flake.
Bean – 19
Biggert – 6
Costello – 0
Davis – 0
Emanuel – 0
Evans – 0 (not voting on any)
Gutierrez – 0
Hyde – 0 (not voting on 6)
Johnson – 7
Kirk – 3
LaHood – 0
Lipinski – 0
Manzullo – 0
Rush – 0
Schakowsky – 1
Shimkus – 2
Weller – 0
Speaker Dennis Hastert is not on the list.
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Couldn't resist including this photo of me and Miss Piggy. I am testifying at Waukegan's tollway hearing on higher higher tolls. I told them that I did not want little Miss Piggy to grow up to be a toll tax hog.
