Death Toll Revised Down to 24 After Monstrous Oklahoma Tornado…100+ Injured…Children Among the Dead…Stunning Pictures…Woman Finds Dog During Interview!

WATCH on TheBlaze TV: Latest Updates on Tornado Aftermath, Including Updates From Glenn Beck in Oklahoma

Government

Congress Accused of Sneaking Unrelated ‘Pork’ Spending into Sandy Emergency Aid Bill: ‘It’s Typical of Washington’

Dec. 28, 2012 11:00pm Jason Howerton

American Majority Action Spokesman Ron Meyer Says Sandy Aid Bill Packed With Pork Spending

New York Senators Charles Schumer (L) and Kirsten Gillibrand brief the media on a bipartisan Hurricane Sandy relief bill voted on December 28, 2012 on Capitol Hill. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

The Senate approved a $60.4 billion recovery package on Friday intended to help the states affected by Hurricane Sandy in November. Appearing on “Cavuto” on Friday night, American Majority Action spokesman Ron Meyer said the bill was also packed with tons of “pork” spending, some of which won’t even occur until after 2013.

Some of the pork spending reportedly goes towards projects that have nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy or the victims, including millions of dollars for tree planting in areas untouched by Sandy and a new roof for the Smithsonian Museum. When an elected representative appropriates government spending for local projects to help his or her district, it is know as “pork barrel” spending.

“Why was this in the emergency bill for Sandy? It doesn’t make any sense.” Only $1 out of every $6 — $9 billion of the $60 billion will be spent in 2013. That means 85 percent doesn’t come until 2014 and beyond. That’s not immediate relief. What this bill is fundamentally is a pork bill.”

Instead, Meyer suggested the Senate should’ve passed a $9 billion “loan” to the states affected by Sandy instead of sneaking in all the wasteful spending before the end of the year.

“It’s disgraceful to load a bill like this that has good motives, that has good intentions that is going to help people, with pork,” he added. “Why are you putting your own projects in it. It’s disgraceful. It’s typical of Washington.”

In an email to TheBlaze, Meyer explained that $1 out of every $20 spent in the Sandy bill will go to “non-relief-related pork.”

Watch the segment via Fox Business:

Featured image via Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (161)

betterpart
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 4:21am
The ‘pork’ is meant to favor politicians and their affiliates, no one else.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- old white guy
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 6:05am
  why can this not be changed??? all bills should be stand alone bills. if a representative wants pork for his area then he/she should put it forward as a bill that everyone can read and understand. congress and the senate has been hiding pork in other necessary bills for, what, 200 years. time to stop it.
  
  Report this comment
- yougottabekidding
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 8:07am
  Never let a crisis go to waste.
  And they arrested some woman for a fake charity for Sandy Victims. She was following that great advice
  ANYONE THAT SIGNED THIS BILL SHOULD BE ARRESTED!!!!!!!! End of conversation!
  
  Report this comment
- decendentof56
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 8:29am
  Does Ron Ellison ever order “pork” for his constituents?
  
  Report this comment
- turkey13
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 8:42am
  Just wait untill we snoop theu the 1,148 pages added to the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) since the November election. This pork will look like a piglet compared to the surprises we will find in the next year.
  
  Report this comment
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 9:16am
  The only $$-Spent in 2013 is the PORK!! THE REST WILL NEVER GET TO THE SANDY-VICTIMS!!
  
  Report this comment
- flipper1073
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 9:52am
  I Wrote to My CongressWoman Years Ago
  That They should Remove the Words.
  “And For Other Purposes” from all Legislation.
  Stand Alone Bills Only NO Pork or Christmas Trees.
  If Your Spending is SO important it should have no
  problem Standing on It’s own.
  We remained Friends throughout her time in the House.
  an She Left after 3 terms (6 yrs) like She said She Would.
  Self Appointed TERM LIMITS She Called It.
  Fantastic Lady remained true to her Convictions even in
  Washington DC.
  
  Report this comment
- oldguy49
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 11:50am
  say it ain’t so……………………..we absolutely need…………….TERM LIMITS
  
  Report this comment
- 83plus
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:28pm
  @oldguy49
  
  If that goes through, it might be what will finally unseat one of my senators in congress. I remember seeing his campaign in the mid 1990s but I think he’s been there longer than that. Either way he’s been there for a long while.
  
  Report this comment
- pdw
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 2:25pm
  Sounds like they hate Muslims :o)
  
  Report this comment
- taintso
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 2:35pm
  They are going to have to call it some thing else as ‘pork’ offends the future Islam terrorist in America.
  
  Report this comment
- Deb C
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 3:47pm
  SOMEONE had to add the pork…I want to know WHO !!!
  
  Report this comment
- Proverbs17-12NLT
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 7:56pm
  hey democrats never let a good crisis go to waste, the revolution can’t come soon enough. I know who I’m tracking down.
  
  Report this comment
- Cemoto78
  Posted on December 30, 2012 at 9:00am
  And of course if anyone votes against this bill they will be labeled as not caring about the hurricane Sandy victims. Never mind most of the money will be siphoned off to their fellow elitists or pet projects in other states or organizations. Think Progress comes to mind. Just more corruption and crony capitalism in the making; it’s the D.C. way.
  
  Report this comment
Ch
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 4:15am
DC is so corrupt that (I believe); “unfortunately” America will have to self-destruct before we can get rid of these “I-me-my, greedy-blood-suckers.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
denkat56
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 2:46am
The storm clouds are brewing, the civil war is going to happen.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- jacques.daspy
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 1:27pm
  I would wonder how many people know the actual reason that the first (actually the second) Civil War was fought. The current reason evolved over the years to the perversion that everyone thinks that they know today.
  
  Report this comment
- charles116
  Posted on December 30, 2012 at 1:31am
  What civil war.
  Both parties are ‘porkers’
  Who will you be fighting?
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 2:34am
Fiscal crisis my a$$. They just keep spending and creating more debt. When are the tax payers going to revolt. Help the victims of sandy, but why the added pork. That’s all we’ve herd since November 7th is the budget. And they flaunt it in our faces, and create more debt.. I’m tired of their champagne taste on my beer budget. I live on less than 30k a year,and illustrious government is raising my taxes as the 1st of January. I don’t see any of our politicos giving up anymore to taxes, in fact they get a raise to help them. Where’s my raise, don’t I get to vote myself one like our government just did.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- hatchetjob
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 1:30pm
  DENKAR56, You asked, “When are the tax payers going to revolt.”
  I doubt the tax payers will ever revolt, because we’re busy trying to squeak out a living. There are only approximately 49% of us that work. And the other half of the U.S. are the happy parasites who have no intention of revolting.
  
  Report this comment
- Racemosa7
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 9:19pm
  No one, and I mean no one has mentioned the fact that the Sandy Hurricane struck those people who elected to live in that area. They enjoyed the great view and wonderful coastline. Now they cry. What ever happened to personal responsibility.
  By the way, do they also have insurance coverage? I am not being cruel, just pointing out that we cannot continue to bail out companies or persons who of their own accord elect to put themselves into a position of vulnerability.
  
  Report this comment
- Canyouhearus
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 10:50pm
  @Racemosa7
  I agree! And I’d also bet that most of them are Obama supporters. No one takes responsibility for anything anymore. It’s always someone else’ to take care of them. Gets old!
  
  Report this comment
Chrison
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 1:57am
I just checked the Congressional Record and the bill hasn’t been published, yet. It will be, though, and then we’ll be able to see exactly what pork is in it. I’m not sure if how each Senator voted will be published, though.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- CatB
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 11:59am
  Here are the votes …
  
  http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00248
  
  Report this comment
- constitutionisbest4all
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 5:05pm
  evidently it takes almost every department in the government to rebuild houses, see catb’s link. with all that help they should all be rebuilt by now.
  
  Report this comment
HI_Don
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:37am
Come on Blaze – Do the right thing. Use the FOI and publish each item, line by line, that was added to Sandy Relief bill along with the name of what Senator added it. I hate this anonymous Senate and Congressional actions. We need to bring shame to these men and women at every turn. Everytime!

Publish the details, then we need to demand congress in their review of the Senate proposal to remove each and every bit of pork out of this and then to pass a clean bill without adding anything to it.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- IndyGuy
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:57am
  IndyGuy’s Dictionary:Pork
  1 : government funds, jobs, or favors distributed by politicians to gain political advantage.
  2 : Corruption…See Definition 1.
  
  Report this comment
- constitutionisbest4all
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 5:08pm
  see catb’s link. the sandy relief bill was attached to the continuing resolution for the budget. and it shows who voted.
  
  Report this comment
TRILO
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:33am
I want to know every last penny that was added to this bill and who benefited. This is why the republicans can not be trusted. On one tv screen they are telling the American public we need to cut spending then on the other screens they are bragging how there was a bipartisan effort to pass relief for the hurricane victims. Legalized theft at the hands of our so called representatives.

None of the weasels in Washington have any intention of cutting spending. Ever!!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
drenfroe
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:32am
Didn’t Obama say he cared about the people…

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- SaturdaysWarrior76
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 5:29am
  no he said he cares about the FOLKSSSSSSSSSS
  
  Report this comment
- DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 11:43am
  Saturdaywarrior – he sure does hang on those s’s . Makes his arrogant speech sound even more arrogant.
  
  Report this comment
Parnell3rd
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:23am
Washington is and has been broken for a long time. Term Limits are needed!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- watashbuddyfriend
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 10:23am
  Have you contacted your 3-congresspersons about this? Lets stop the ‘going along to get along!
  
  Report this comment
seek.the.truth
Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:14am
What credit card company are they using? I want one of those reward cards with no spending limit too!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- booger71
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:36am
  They are using us as a ATM machine
  
  Report this comment
pissantno.10
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:54pm
little people you have no rights get back to work so we your kings and queens can live a good life. nothing worse than a smart tax payer. all they want is there own money soon this will not be a problem

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Robphelps
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:53pm
Whatever government puts there hands on will always get screwed up at the taxpayers expense. This is why the founding fathers put controls in place to keep government limited and small. The American people could have helped sandy victims the best without government getting involved. But we see what the left does when private citizens try to help. Just like when Romney was using his own money and time to help.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:41pm
Every person who was arrested for creating fake Sandy Storm charities should have the charges dropped.
“There is no time to waste,” -Harry Reid
He should be in jail in their place.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
braddock66
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:38pm
Disgraceful. Find out who put it in the bill and chastise them in the media, ask them to explain it.Schumer is whats wrong with this country!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy49
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:44pm
  TERM LIMITS…………..on everyone
  
  Report this comment
Chromo200
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:35pm
Hey Blaze … how about a listing of who submitted the pork ..

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- oldguy49
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:42pm
  spend america into oblivion and then remake into socialist country……………
  
  Report this comment
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:35pm
Where was all the publicity and celebrity help for the flooded midwest? Nashville? Tornados in Alabama and surrounding areas?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- gyro
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:55pm
  checking out the new roof at the Smithsonian Museum
  cant have water getting in
  
  Report this comment
- For my Liberty!
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:36am
  THIS part of the country isn’t liberal, so they look the other way!
  
  Report this comment
MisterSarcastic
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:31pm
Further proof that we’ll never get rid of these clowns.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- civilwarcometh
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:38pm
  We can get rid of them but it’s gonna take a little more effort than complaining on the internet or makeing a phone call or writeing a letter or voteing. It’s so far gone that their is only way to get our republic back…
  
  Report this comment
PapaJohannesPatriot
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:25pm
Shame on everyone, Republican or Democrat, that added any of that pork to the relief bill. They are without honor and serving the people who helped them retain their offices rather than doing the right thing.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Clownzilla
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:24pm
This is why we need a complete government collapse before anything gets fixed. Nothing will change until it’s forcefully changed. It’s no “tin-foil-hat” talk anymore, it’s quickly becoming the only hope for America.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- CatB
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:01pm
  I agree .. let’s go over the cliff .. let the “pain” begin .. some of them are Obama voters … the thing that will be hard is breakng up the MSM love affair with Obama.
  
  Report this comment
revelation2012
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:19pm
HOW DO WE CUT these SUCKERS LOOSE

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- civilwarcometh
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:29pm
  Here’s a hint.
  
  Report this comment
- SimretYusef
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 9:22am
  The quotes from our founding fathers and many others are warnings to us….
  
  Our founding fathers lived under an overbearing government. They knew eventually government would become too big to afford. They knew the small steps that would take us there. They knew and they are trying to warn us that it will not happen suddenly. It will be a death of a thousand cuts.
  
  Anyone who trades liberty for security…deserves neither… Ben Franklin
  
  A government is like fire a handy servant…but a dangerous master…George Washington
  
  All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stanby and do nothing…Edmund Burke
  
  The Constitution only give you the right to pursue happiness…you have to catch it your self…Ben Franklin
  
  The Constitution in an instrument for the people to control the government…Patrick Henry
  
  Ninety nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses…George Washington
  
  A long habit of not thinking a thing is wrong gives it the superficial appearance of being right…Thomas Paine
  
  That some achieve great success is proof to all that others can achieve it as well…Abraham Lincoln
  
  Distrust and Caution are the parents of security…Ben Franklin
  
  Government, which did not give us our rights, must not now seek to deny them by using fear as its justification…Malcolm Wallop
  
  WAKE UP….ARE YOU READY???
  
  Report this comment
red_white_blue2
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:18pm
I live in the state these to moishe’s are from. I wouldn’t listen to a word they say, let alone trust them. This if passed is disgraceful, and this is the kind of investigative journalism that we should be hearing on the news, not the latest gun control leftist lobbying committee that wants to give a sound bite.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
revelation2012
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:18pm
did ‘they’ happen to mention where ‘they’ were going to get the financing

it’s about time ‘they’ started paying for all this PORK ‘they’ need to really
‘
FEEL THE PAIN btw THEY CAN SURVIVE ON OBAMACARE until they

get a GUT full of ‘it’ too,,,,,,,,,,

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
taintso
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:10pm
Repeal the 14th the amendment that allows government ownership of slaves.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Chuck Stein
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:15pm
  Huh? Do you mean the 16th Amendment (income tax)?
  
  Report this comment
- booger71
  Posted on December 29, 2012 at 12:38am
  No he means us, we are the slaves to government.
  
  Report this comment
chips1
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:09pm
Something about that word “pork” reminds me of Shiela Jackson Lee. Is that normal?

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Smokey_Bojangles
  Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:42pm
  Hat Budget.
  
  Report this comment
SCREW-WINDOWS
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 11:06pm
Surprise !! Surprise !! Surprise !!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.