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Ron Paul and "Cutting Spending" Ha!

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by InTheLight, Jan 17, 2012.

  1. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Went to Ron Paul's website to do some research on some topics. Found his page for funding requests.

    http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1033&Itemid=68

    Among the findings:

    Construction of a new facility for the Wharton County Youth Fair, $4.5M

    Chambers County Emergency Center, $6.5M

    Reading is Fundamental (childhood literacy), $28M

    Texas Avenue Renovation (Baytown, TX): plant trees, shrubs, install new bike racks, trash receptacles, benches, decorative lighting, and provide an area for public art, $2.5M

    Baytown Marina Renovation: Sidewalk widening, parking lot improvements, landscaping, dock repairs, landscaping, dredging of main channel, repair damage from Hurricane Ike, $2.5M

    Kendleton RV Park Improvements: Make improvements to RV park and pedestrian walkways in Kendleton, TX to enhance tourism. $1M

    League City Park and Ride: Construct 2 park and ride facilities in League, TX. $5M

    Galveston Sewall Pedestrian Access: Construct transit shelters, visitor information centers, and wheelchair ramps. $4M

    Galveston Rail Trolley Cars: Replace aging trolley cars and cars damaged by hurricanes. $4M

    Galveston Solar Energy Project: $2M

    Galveston to Houston Light Rail Line: Preliminary engineering studies for transit line. $10M

    Galveston: "Continuation of Authorized Federal Activities" $23M, $1.5M, $50M, $2M, $6.5M, $7.3M, $7M, $13M, $7.4M, $24.15M,

    Colorado River: ""Continuation of Authorized Federal Activities" $23M, $1.5M

    Gulf Intracoastal Waterway: "Continuation of Authorized Federal Activities" $50M

    Texas City Channel: Deepening of channel to Texas City, $46M
     
  2. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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  3. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    Were any of these placed inside of say, war funding bills, or something like Obamacare, to secure his vote ?

    What is your issue with any of these ? Should the money have gone to welfare, foodstamps, abortion clinics ?

    What topics were you researching ? What is the problem with any of this ?
     
  4. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    You cannot unhypocritically claim to be against federal spending unconditionally and still request unconstitutional spending regardless of where you believe it will go if you do not.
     
  5. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    First, you need to prove where Paul is against federal spending "unconditionally".

    Second, you need to prove where any of this spending is unconstitutional.
     
  6. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Don't know.

    A lot of it is unnecessary spending. It makes people in his district dependent on government programs.

    Paul says he is for cutting spending then he earmarks money from a general spending fund, then votes against the spending bill knowing full well that his district will get the money and he will be able to say he voted against spending. For someone that supposedly votes against spending, his district sure gets a lot of funding. In fact, federal spending in his district has quadrupled since 1999. A lot of the funding that he earmarks are for projects--like public transportation--that he opposes. Or take the 180 houses that his earmarks built with federal money. Oh, Mr. Constitution, is building houses a legitimate function of the federal government? The guy is a hypocrite.


    No, the money should never have been approved for spending in the first place. Ron Paul is wrong to say he is against spending and then works hard to capture as much new monies as he can.

    Bills that Paul has sponsored, specifically bills meant to cut government funding. My Google hits kept coming up with the fact that federal spending has skyrocketed in his district.

    Simple: The man says he is against spending and then he goes and procures as much pork as he can handle. The man says he is a strict constitutionalist and he uses federal funding for pet projects in his district. His constituents are becoming dependent on federal funding. He uses the funding to build things he says he opposes. This "use it or lose" approach to federal spending is fueling the deficits.
     
  7. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    You'll have to prove federal spending skyrocketed under his watch. And you have to prove this is unconstitutional.
     
  8. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Federal spending in Paul's district quadrupled since 1999.

    http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/07/ron-paul-texas-federal-spending-pork


    No I don't. Congress has the power to spend money. Ron Paul says he's against spending and wants to cut spending but he's running up the tab in his own district!
     
  9. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    The money is going to be spent whether it is in his district or not. If it is going to be spent, he might as well have his district benefit. You know this of course and are just arguing this point for the sake of arguing it.
     
  10. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    What kind of logic is this? The money HAS to be spent? It cannot go towards the debt?
     
  11. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    The point is that he says he's for cutting spending and his district is raking in new monies. You are arguing a technicality, not a concept.
     
  12. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    Very interesting. I wonder if you can earmark 'spending' to pay down the debt?
     
  13. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    The simple fact is that if a bill that contains the funds is passed, then the money is going to be spent. If it isn't earmarked for certain projects, then it is simply spent as some bureaucrat wishes it to be spent.

    Ron Paul is certainly playing both sides of the fence on this, but he doesn't try and hide that he is doing so. His position is that he will vote against the bill, but if it passes the money might as well be spent on projects of his choosing.
     
  14. Havensdad

    Havensdad New Member

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    Unfortunately not. An appropriations bill is precisely that; appropriating money, and handing it to the executive branch (or earmarking it...)
     
  15. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    There are loopholes where unspent funds could go to paying down the debt. The politicians in D.C. have no interest in actually seeing this done. We have passed the point of no return and they know it.
     
  16. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Can you point out one of these loopholes?
     
  17. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    I guess there is some warped logic in there, but is sure is frustrating.
     
  18. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    There's no warped logic. I don't understand why you are having trouble understanding it. Let me illustrate it in a way that might help you.

    You are a member of a club where there are required dues. You pay your dues just like everyone else. The club decides to have a vote on spending some of the money they have collected. Your preference would be that they didn't spend the money and simply reduce the dues. You know, however, that the majority of people are going to vote to pass the spending. You have a choice now. You can either earmark some of the money to be spent on things you enjoy, or you can simply let the money be spent as others decide.
     
  19. NiteShift

    NiteShift New Member

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    Thanks for that illustration. He wants his share of the take, and there's nothing mysterious about that. Plus he gets to condemn others who are doing the same thing. It's a twofer!
     
  20. targus

    targus New Member

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    Or you could refuse to play the game and loudly vocalize your objections to wasting the money and propose changing the system.

    Ron Paul is a politician just like the rest.

    He is just more self righteous about it.
     
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