By Mariko Lamb

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) unveiled a new GOP website Thursday that “shines the light on government spending.” Sunshine.gop.gov tracks stimulus project spending, earmarks, TARP programs, and transparency legislation.

“We thought it was important that taxpayers actually be able to see exactly how every dollar was being spent,” she said. “Sunshine.gop.gov will give taxpayers greater insight and ultimately hold the federal government accountable for how it spends our tax dollars.”

The site is more user-friendly and cost-effective than Recovery.gov, she said. Development of sunshine.gop.gov cost only $20,000 as opposed to the recent $18 million contract signed to update the administration’s stimulus site, Recovery.gov.

Rodgers urged both the public and the media to use the website as a tool to conduct research on government spending and pursue stories on wasteful government spending.

“We’re making a transition as far as using new media [and] the internet. It’s impacting the way we communicate as a society, but its also is impacting the way people get information,” she said. “This is a step in the right direction.”

by Christina Lovato, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Today in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s weekly press conference the economy was still a big issue. Pelosi started off the conference by speaking about the deterioration of the economy and how President Obama is putting forth initiatives in just the four weeks he has been in office. “Yesterday the President put forth the details and guidelines for a housing initiative that he announced earlier. Under it 79 million of Americans over the next couple of years will be able to modify their loans, they will have the opportunity to modify or re-finance their homes, stay in their homes. Today Congress will pass legislation on housing and bankruptcy which will help some more.” she said.

Pelosi addressed the housing, regulatory reform recovery package, stating that she is very positive about it. “A package that cuts taxes for the middle class, 95% of the American people. A package that will create or save 3-4 million jobs over the next few years and a package that strives to bring stability to our economy.” she said. 

Today, President Obama is holding a health care summit and Pelosi said that healthcare costs are the biggest problem of the American people. “It’s about a healthier America, it’s about recognizing that health care reform is regulatory reform and it recognizes that health care is an economic issue.” 

The Speaker also said that she agreed with President Obama stating that we need to have fewer earmarks. “This whole thing about the Republican side about earmarks is so disingenuous…The idea is lower number, more transparency, total accountability.” she said. 

When it came down to talking about money, Pelosi said that distribution of the TARP funds must fulfill the purpose of why the money is given to them. “No more just here’s the money, sit on it so that your capitalization is improved.” When it came down to talk about the auto industry Pelosi concluded by saying, “Any money that we give to the auto industry must be considered a lifeline, not life support. This all has to be about viability of the auto industry to survive.”

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Senator John McCain (R-Az), Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) spoke of their plans to reintroduce their version of the Line Item Veto Bill.

Governor Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) gave her first policy speech of the campaign today in Pittsburgh, focusing on policy adjustment for special needs children. Palin said the money politicians are extracting through earmarks for “pet projects” such as “fruit fly research in France” should be reallocated to “take care of the most vulnerable children.” Mentioning motivation from “God’s vision of perfection versus the world’s vision of perfection,” Palin said she would triple the funding for special needs children by 2011 if elected Vice President.

Palin stated that the public school systems are failing to render enough help for special needs children like her son, who has down’s syndrome. She spoke about federal funding to follow every special needs child without “bureaucratic complications or barriers”. She pledged to “finally fully fund” the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as well as Individualized Education Programs. Palin said parents of children with disabilities have “enough complications already” and should have more options in schools for their children, whether they be private or public schools.

While Palin and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) intend to “reduce taxes to promote growth” if elected, Palin scrutinized Senator Obama’s (D-Ill.) plan to raise taxes because it would have “serious and harmful consequences” for parents of special needs children, who might lose funding for things like Special Needs Trusts.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) backs Barack Obama’s stance on earmarks during conference call. (12:15)

 

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The Obama Campaign today hosted a conference call to discuss the presidential hopeful’s position on earmarks featuring Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Obama campaign Communications Director Robert Gibbs.

Gibbs emphasized the fact that Senator Obama is “a leader in ethics reform.” He referred to Obama’s “Google for Government” plan, used to allow citizens to use the internet to clearly see where government money is spent.

Senator McCaskill endorsed Gibbs’ comments, backing Obama’s stance on earmarks and his condemning of wasteful government spending.

As the congressional Democrats announce their version of the budget they are emphasizing more domestic spending particularly in job creation and bolstering unemployment assistance. At a press conference after the Democratic budget was introduced on the Senate floor were Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI), Dick Durbin (IL), Edward Kennedy (MA) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA).

They said that they had three priorities to stimulate the American workforce in their Fiscal 2009 budget proposal: development of “green collar jobs” that build the renewable energy industry, education and job training so that American workers can compete in a global marketplace and a focus on jobs that create infrastructure, rebuilding roads and bridges. They also want to give further economic relief to working families by way of tax relief. Durbin said that the Bush administration has only continued to give “massive” tax cuts for “those who haven’t asked for them and don’t need them.”

Becerra likened the U.S. government to a family struggling to make ends meet. He took out a credit card from his wallet, “We have been using the government credit card too long to make ends meet.” He also spoke of how the United States continues to borrow from “creditors” like China. He threw out a total of $400 billion borrowed from China “so far.”

Kennedy emphasized that the money had already been appropriated for growing unemployment infrastructure and had only to be authorized in this budget measure. Kennedy also said that this was a time for federal leadership to step in and help working families. He said that Democrats are there for the American worker.

When asked about the moratorium on earmarks supported by presidential candidates and Senate colleagues Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both Stabenow and Durbin said that they would not support a moratorium on earmarks. “We need to amend it, not end it,” said Stabenow and they both defended the process of earmarks as being open and transparent with the American people. Kennedy said he was opening to examining a moratorium as a solution.

The president brought the pool in for a brief statement on earmarks, prefaced by a congratulations to the House for passing the stimulus package. His statement reiterated his veto threat of any appropriations bill that did not cut the number and amount of earmarks in half, and he explained that his executive order would prohibit agencies from following earmarks expressed in committee reports and not voted on by Congress. (2:24)

 

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House Leader Nancy Pelosi comments on earmarks with Senator Reid and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. (0:40)

 

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Senator Harry Reid discusses earmarks and ill-advised government spending with House Leader Nancy Pelosi and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

 

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