The Bridge to Nowhere that Palin killed. Obama and Biden both voted for it.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Now that Alaska is front and center in the news again, it is a good time to catch up on a favorite story, The Bridge to Nowhere, using the Washington Post US Congress Votes Database.

 

Though Gov. Palin originally supported the earmark spending on the Ketchikan bridge (“to nowhere), she eventually killed the project, chosing to spend Federal money on other infrasturcture programs.

 

However, Sen. Biden and Sen. Obama voted for funding the Bridge, even when given a second chance by Sen. Tom Coburn, who proposed shifting earmark funds to Katrina relief.

 

Sen. McCain did not vote on the Coburn Amendment, though he is on record as opposing the Ketchikan bridge earmark.

 

http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/obama...o-nowhere,1628/

 

Link to vote:

 

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congres...te/1/votes/262/

[He Like Me 0]

I'm confused, if you go to your link it says they did not vote for it???

[Recliner Pilot 61]

This was a vote to kill the funding, which they voted against. That is my understanding of it.

[heavy-set 39]

Palin was for it, before she was against it

 

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/a...to-nowhere.aspx

[heavy-set 39]

Also,

 

the GOP has us in a 406 billon dollar hole

[Birdseed 1]

Was that a boomerang that just went flying by?

 

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Palin was for it, before she was against it

 

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/a...to-nowhere.aspx

 

I guess you missed the part of the article where it explained she reduced the number of earmarks by continually reviewing each project and eliminating those not worthy of funding.

 

Too bad Biden and The Clown couldn't figure out it was a waste of money.

[heavy-set 39]

I guess you missed the part of the article where it explained she reduced the number of earmarks by continually reviewing each project and eliminating those not worthy of funding.

 

Too bad Biden and The Clown couldn't figure out it was a waste of money.

scale back from 54 to 31

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Also,

 

the GOP has us in a 406 billon dollar hole

 

The Demwits control both houses of Congress, which is where spending comes from.

[heavy-set 39]

The Demwits control both houses of Congress, which is where spending comes from.

they have only been in for a short time.

[surferskin 31]

like i said, she was for it before she was against it.

And in the end she was right. Some people have no clue what a "flip flop" is...someone can change their mind and it doesn't constitute a flip flop. Changing positions for political expediency during an election campaign is a flip flop. Palin was a sitting Governor, she wasn't saying what ever it'd take to get her elected.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

they have only been in for a short time.

 

You referenced the 406b deficit. They have been there since '06 so that tar baby is theirs.

 

Thanks for playing.

[He Like Me 0]

What else was in that bill? Do we know that? Here's a bit of what Obama has done in regards to Katrina.

 

Obama and Katrina

 

Note that a lot of his work as well was done with Coburn.

[heavy-set 39]

You referenced the 406b deficit. They have been there since '06 so that tar baby is theirs.

 

Thanks for playing.

Dubya vetoed the spending cuts.

 

and backloaded Iraq war bills with pork and earmarks

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Dubya vetoed the spending cuts.

 

link?

[Recliner Pilot 61]

and backloaded Iraq war bills with pork and earmarks

 

Earmarks and pork are strictly the domain of Congress, moron.

 

It'a a biotch when your own post bites you in the a$$, isn't it.

 

Earmarks

What is an Earmark?

 

Earmarks are funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to properly manage funds. Congress includes earmarks in appropriation bills - the annual spending bills that Congress enacts to allocate discretionary spending - and also in authorization bills.

 

 

http://earmarks.omb.gov/

[heavy-set 39]

Earmarks and pork are strictly the domain of Congress, moron.

 

It'a a biotch when your own post bites you in the a$$, isn't it.

 

Earmarks

What is an Earmark?

 

Earmarks are funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to properly manage funds. Congress includes earmarks in appropriation bills - the annual spending bills that Congress enacts to allocate discretionary spending - and also in authorization bills.

http://earmarks.omb.gov/

and the GOP has loads of congressman that spend more than democrats

[Recliner Pilot 61]

and the GOP has loads of congressman that spend more than democrats

 

You made claims about what Bush did, not GOP congressman.

 

Dubya vetoed the spending cuts.

 

 

and backloaded Iraq war bills with pork and earmarks

 

Care to back it up or just attempt a lameass spin job?

[heavy-set 39]

You made claims about what Bush did, not GOP congressman.

Care to back it up or just attempt a lameass spin job?

bush , GOP congressman are all the same, jesus loving homos that spend too much.

 

 

NEXT

[Recliner Pilot 61]

bush , GOP congressman are all the same, jesus loving homos that spend too much.

 

 

NEXT

 

Chose the lameass spin route. I guess if that's all ya got run with it.

[Strike 6,017]

bush , GOP congressman are all the same, jesus loving homos that spend too much.

 

 

NEXT

 

NEXT? We have Obama who has made a huge deal about being a Jesus loving homo. Even referred to his racist priest like an uncle and promptly threw him to the curb for political expediency. And we know he's going to outspend EVERYONE if he becomes President. NEXT!!

[heavy-set 39]

Chose the lameass spin route. I guess if that's all ya got run with it.

i know you do, but what do i do?

[Flashover 0]

To say Obama & Biden voted for the "Bridge to Nowhere" is misleading at best. The Bridge to Nowhere was one small part of a huge transportation bill. What you are referring to in this thread is an amendment, one of over 180 I believe, that was introduced by Coburn. That amendment wanted to redirect some of the funds from the Bridge to Nowhere for reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana (The Twin Span bridge I believe). Obama & Biden voted no, just like 80 other Senators including 43 Republicans. The amendment was rejected 82-15. Obama & Biden did end up voting Yes for the Bill (H.R. 3058). The Bill passed 93 to 1 with 53 Republicans voting yes.

The real point here is the fact that Palin continuously lies about saying "No thanks!" to the Bridge to Nowhere. If she didn't make this such a big part of her campaign, this would probably be a non issue. But she still goes around claiming she's the reformer who said "No thanks!" to the Bridge when that is a blatant lie.

[Isotopes 1]

You referenced the 406b deficit. They have been there since '06 so that tar baby is theirs.

 

Thanks for playing.

 

She didn't flip until it was extremely unpopular and it turned out her state was going to come up with a bunch of extra funds to build teh bridge. So it is ok for the federal govt to build it but it was not ok for AK to chip in the extra cash needed.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

To say Obama & Biden voted for the "Bridge to Nowhere" is misleading at best. The Bridge to Nowhere was one small part of a huge transportation bill. What you are referring to in this thread is an amendment, one of over 180 I believe, that was introduced by Coburn. That amendment wanted to redirect some of the funds from the Bridge to Nowhere for reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana (The Twin Span bridge I believe). Obama & Biden voted no, just like 80 other Senators including 43 Republicans. The amendment was rejected 82-15. Obama & Biden did end up voting Yes for the Bill (H.R. 3058). The Bill passed 93 to 1 with 53 Republicans voting yes.

The real point here is the fact that Palin continuously lies about saying "No thanks!" to the Bridge to Nowhere. If she didn't make this such a big part of her campaign, this would probably be a non issue. But she still goes around claiming she's the reformer who said "No thanks!" to the Bridge when that is a blatant lie.

 

So your position is, "Well, it was such a big bill you can't hold them responsible for voting for it"?

 

Tally up the votes any way you like, Biden and The Clown voted for it.

[funngun 1]

Let me see if I get this story clearly here.

 

So Obama and Biden vote for a bill to send funds to build this bridge to nowhere. Did Mrs Palin turn down the funds?

 

Because on her acceptance speech she said "I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' on that bridge to nowhere. If our state wanted a bridge, I said we'd build it ourselves.".

 

If she took the funds and used them on other projects like some are saying, what was she saying no to?

[Flashover 0]

So your position is, "Well, it was such a big bill you can't hold them responsible for voting for it"?

 

Tally up the votes any way you like, Biden and The Clown voted for it.

Not at all. Read my whole post. They voted against an amendment (one of over 180 in that bill) that would have diverted part of the funds for the Bridge to Nowhere to help in reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana. That is hardly voting for the "Bridge to Nowhere". So again, how does this excuse Sarah Palin's lie about her opposition to the bridge to nowhere and the McCain campaign's co-opting of that lie for their campaign? Ah, that's right, it doesn't.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Not at all. Read my whole post. They voted against an amendment (one of over 180 in that bill) that would have diverted part of the funds for the Bridge to Nowhere to help in reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana. That is hardly voting for the "Bridge to Nowhere". So again, how does this excuse Sarah Palin's lie about her opposition to the bridge to nowhere and the McCain campaign's co-opting of that lie for their campaign? Ah, that's right, it doesn't.

 

Let's go at this another direction: Show me where they voted to kill funding for the bridge to nowhere.

[Q.T. 5]

To say Obama & Biden voted for the "Bridge to Nowhere" is misleading at best. The Bridge to Nowhere was one small part of a huge transportation bill. What you are referring to in this thread is an amendment, one of over 180 I believe, that was introduced by Coburn. That amendment wanted to redirect some of the funds from the Bridge to Nowhere for reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana (The Twin Span bridge I believe). Obama & Biden voted no, just like 80 other Senators including 43 Republicans. The amendment was rejected 82-15. Obama & Biden did end up voting Yes for the Bill (H.R. 3058). The Bill passed 93 to 1 with 53 Republicans voting yes.

The real point here is the fact that Palin continuously lies about saying "No thanks!" to the Bridge to Nowhere. If she didn't make this such a big part of her campaign, this would probably be a non issue. But she still goes around claiming she's the reformer who said "No thanks!" to the Bridge when that is a blatant lie.

Specifically, a large bill that includes 4 earmark clauses for Alaska based on the bill summary:

 

(Sec. 144) Authorizes the use of FTA funds made available for Alaska or Hawaii ferry boats or ferry terminal facilities to construct new vessels and facilities, or to improve existing ones, including both passenger and vehicle-related elements, and for repair facilities.

 

(Sec. 186) Makes available to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for eligible surface transportation projects, subject to specified conditions, any amounts otherwise available under SAFETEA-LU for the Gravina Island bridge and the Knik Arm bridge.

 

(Sec. 317) Exempts public housing agencies in Alaska, Iowa, or Mississippi from the requirement of having a public housing resident or section 8 recipient on the board of directors. Requires such public housing agencies to establish advisory boards that include public housing tenants or section 8 recipients.

 

(Sec. 319) Allocates funds made available for Native Alaskans under the heading "Native American Housing Block Grants" to the same Native Alaskan housing block grant recipients that received FY2004 funds.

 

 

Note that the Alaska transportation funding was "subject to specified conditions" ... need more information there.

 

 

Oh, and about that vote against redirecting funds to a specific bridge in Louisiana ... note that the approved bill includes due diligence to study the entire Gulf Coast region and recommend a course of action:

 

(Sec. 187) Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of Homeland Security to use jointly certain funds to complete the review and assessment of federal and state catastrophic hurricane evacuation plans for the Gulf Coast Region and report their findings and recommendations to Congress.

 

Requires the Secretaries, in conducting the review, to consider at a minimum: (1) the availability of food, water, restrooms, fueling stations, and shelter along the evacuation route; (2) the time required to evacuate under the plan; and (3) the physical and mental strains associated with the evacuation.

[gocolts 300]

She didn't flip until it was extremely unpopular and it turned out her state was going to come up with a bunch of extra funds to build teh bridge. So it is ok for the federal govt to build it but it was not ok for AK to chip in the extra cash needed.

Nope. That is incorrect.

[Flashover 0]

Let's go at this another direction: Show me where they voted to kill funding for the bridge to nowhere.

Ok, first you you start a thread claiming Obama & Biden voted for the bridge to nowhere. Using your links, I showed that your claim is false. They voted Yes on a bill H.R. 3058 that passed 93 to 1. In that bill there were over 180 amendments, one of those amendments was to divert some of the funds of the BTN to help in reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana. Obama and Biden voted No along with 80 other senators (43 who were republicans), that amendment was rejected 82-15. Now you want to "go in another direction" and are asking me to show where they killed the funding!? You made the claim that they voted for the bridge! How about you show us where they voted for it like the title of your thread claims. Secondly, Obama & Biden aren't the ones going around saying that they were the ones that said "No Thanks!" to the Bridge to Nowhere, Sarah Palin is!

[Recliner Pilot 61]

Ok, first you you start a thread claiming Obama & Biden voted for the bridge to nowhere. Using your links, I showed that your claim is false. They voted Yes on a bill H.R. 3058 that passed 93 to 1. In that bill there were over 180 amendments, one of those amendments was to divert some of the funds of the BTN to help in reconstruction of a bridge in Louisiana. Obama and Biden voted No along with 80 other senators (43 who were republicans), that amendment was rejected 82-15. Now you want to "go in another direction" and are asking me to show where they killed the funding!? You made the claim that they voted for the bridge! How about you show us where they voted for it like the title of your thread claims. Secondly, Obama & Biden aren't the ones going around saying that they were the ones that said "No Thanks!" to the Bridge to Nowhere, Sarah Palin is!

 

Nice spin.

 

They voted for the funding of the bridge.

 

Your argument was that they voted no on a particular amendment diverting funds form the bridge, and somehow that is voting against the bridge. Nothing you brought shows they voted against the bridge. That's why I asked you to show where they did. You have not done so.

[Recliner Pilot 61]

One other point Flash. In your woeful attempt to explain The Clown and Biden's vote you expose yet another thing about them. When they voted for the bridge to nowhere, and AGAINST sending funds to hurricane ravaged Louisiana to help rebuild infrastructure, they reveal themselves to be totally oblivious to the suffering of those poor black people in LA.

 

Why do they hate the poor black people of LA so much that they would deny funding to rebuild what was wiped out by Katrina? How insensitive can they be? This is just another example of Demwits saying they care about the downtrodden, but vote to screw them.

[heavy-set 39]

Nice spin.

 

They voted for the funding of the bridge.

 

Your argument was that they voted no on a particular amendment diverting funds form the bridge, and somehow that is voting against the bridge. Nothing you brought shows they voted against the bridge. That's why I asked you to show where they did. You have not done so.

she was for it b4 she was against it

[Recliner Pilot 61]

she was for it b4 she was against it

 

The Clown was for it, and never against it.

[heavy-set 39]

The Clown was for it, and never against it.

at least aint a flip flopper

[Recliner Pilot 61]

at least aint a flip flopper

 

His flip-flops are well chronicled in other threads.

 

Next?

[heavy-set 39]

His flip-flops are well chronicled in other threads.

 

Next?

but not in this thread

[VaTerp 0]

And in the end she was right. Some people have no clue what a "flip flop" is...someone can change their mind and it doesn't constitute a flip flop. Changing positions for political expediency during an election campaign is a flip flop. Palin was a sitting Governor, she wasn't saying what ever it'd take to get her elected.

 

This is not true.

 

Palin campaigned for Governor as a supporter for the bridge. In fact she even said that the phrase "Bridge to nowhere" was insulting to the people of small town Alaska.

 

Once the bridge became a negative symbol of earmarking and was attacked by many national politicians, including McCain, Congress dropped the designation for the earmark but still gave Alaska a similar amount of money to use on transportation at its own discretion. So Congress actually killed the bridge before she did.

 

As Governor, Palin stopped state funding for the bridge which earned her praise from the anti-earmark crowd but also pissed off Dems and Republicans in the the areas where the bridge was to be built. They believed she "pandered" to them and said what what was popular locally to get elected but once she became Gov. she was against the bridge b/c it was viewed unfavorably in Congress. They say it is then that she began to use the term that she once found insulting.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidate...ndChannel=10112

 

I agree with you about the concept of flip flopping. If Palin was originally for the bridge then turned against it because cost became to prohibitive or whatever then thats fine IMO.

 

BUT her line that she said "thanks, but no thanks to that bridge to nowhere" is misleading at best and really a flat out LIE. She's trying to use it as an example of how she's against earmarks but SHE KEPT THE MONEY and used it for other projects.

 

Its amazing how nobody in the media really adresses it in this light and even the Obama campaign misses the mark with their commercial. IMO, whether Obama or Biden voted for the bill is of no consequence. And as I said I really dont have a problem with Pain changing her mind on it.

 

But to suggest that it is an example of how she is against earmarks is blatantly misleading and dishonest.

[Flashover 0]

One other point Flash. In your woeful attempt to explain The Clown and Biden's vote you expose yet another thing about them. When they voted for the bridge to nowhere, and AGAINST sending funds to hurricane ravaged Louisiana to help rebuild infrastructure, they reveal themselves to be totally oblivious to the suffering of those poor black people in LA.

 

Why do they hate the poor black people of LA so much that they would deny funding to rebuild what was wiped out by Katrina? How insensitive can they be? This is just another example of Demwits saying they care about the downtrodden, but vote to screw them.

Here is Barack Obama's record on rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

* Sept. 2, 2005: Obama holds press conference urging Illinoisans to contribute to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

* Sept. 5, 2005: Obama goes to Houston to visit evacuees with Presidents Clinton and Bush.

* Sept. 7, 2005: Obama introduces bill to create a national emergency family locator system

* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama introduces bill to create a National Emergency Volunteers Corps.

* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama co-sponsors the Katrina Emergency Relief Act of 2005 introduced by Senator Harry Reid

* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama co-sponsors the Hurricane Katrina Bankruptcy Relief and Community Protection Act of 2005 introduced by Senator Russ Feingold

* Sept. 12, 2005: Obama introduces legislation requiring states to create an emergency evacuation plan for society's most vulnerable

* Sept. 15, 2005: Obama issues public response to President Bush's speech about Gulf Coast rebuilding.

* Sept. 21, 2005: Obama co-sponsors bill to establish a Katrina commission to investigate response to the disaster introduced by Hillary Clinton

* Sept. 21, 2005: Obama appears on NPR to discuss the role of poverty in Hurricane Katrina.

* Sept. 22, 2005: Obama and Coburn's Hurricane Katrina financial oversight bill unanimously passes Senate committee.

* Sept. 22, 2005: Obama's amendment requiring evacuation plans unanimously passes Senate committee.

* Sept. 28, 2005: Obama and Coburn issue statement about the need for a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the financial mismanagement and suspicious contracts occurring in the reconstruction process

* Sept. 29, 2005: Obama and Coburn investigate possible FEMA refusal of free cruise ship offer

* Oct. 6, 2005: Obama and Coburn issue statement on FEMA Decision to re-bid Katrina contracts

* Oct. 6, 2005: Obama co-sponsors Gulf Coast Infrastructure Redevelopment and Recovery Act of 2005.

* Oct. 21, 2005: Obama releases statement decrying the extension of FEMA director, Michael "Brownie" Brown's contract. Obama calls Brown's contract extension, "unconscionable."

* Nov. 17, 2005: Obama and Coburn introduce legislation asking FEMA to immediately re-bid all Katrina reconstruction contracts.

* Feb. 1, 2006: Obama gives Senate floor speech on his legislation to help children affected by Hurricane Katrina

* Feb. 2, 2006: Obama introduces legislation to help low-income children affected by Hurricane Katrina

* Feb. 23, 2006: Obama issues statement responding to a White House report on Hurricane Katrina. Obama noted that the top two recommendations that the report had for the federal government were initiatives he had been working on since immediately after the storm hit. Obama called the administration's response "delinquent."

* May 2, 2006: Obama gives speech about no-bid contracts in Hurricane Katrina reconstruction

* May 4, 2006: Obama's legislation to end no-bid contracts for Hurricane Katrina reconstruction passed the Senate.

* June 15, 2006: Obama and Coburn announce legislation to require amendment to create competitive bidding for Hurricane Katrina reconstruction for federal contracts over $500,000. Although it passed previously, the language was stripped in conference.

* June 15, 2006: Obama releases podcast about his pending Katrina reconstruction legislation in the Senate.

* June 16, 2006: Obama and Coburn get no-bid Hurricane Katrina reconstruction amendment into Department of Defense authorization bill.

* July 14, 2006: Obama and Coburn's legislation to end abuse of no-bid contracts passes senate as amendment to Department of Defense authorization bill.

* August 11, 2006: Obama visits Xavier University in New Orleans to give Commencement address

* August 14, 2006: Obama and Coburn ask FEMA to address ballooning no-bid contracts for Gulf Coast reconstruction

* Sept. 29, 2006: Obama and Coburn legislation to prevent abuse of no-bid contracts in the wake of disaster passes Senate to be sent to President's desk to become law.

* Feb. 2007-Present: As Obama begins his Presidential campaign he references Katrina as a part of his stump speech as he travels around the country in his familiar line, "That we are not a country which preaches compassion and justice to others while we allow bodies to float down the streets of a major American city. That is not who we are."

* June 20, 2007: Obama co-sponsors Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 introduced by Senator Chris Dodd.

* July 27, 2007: Obama and colleagues get a measure in the Homeland Security bill that will investigate FEMA trailers that may contain the toxic chemical, formaldehyde.

* Aug. 26, 2007: Obama outlines a detailed Hurricane Katrina recovery plan.

* December 18, 2007: Obama calls on President Bush to protect affordable housing in New Orleans

* February 16, 2008: Obama releases statement on toxic Gulf Coast trailers

 

Yeah, he really doesn't care.