Stupak Allies Request 4.7 Billion in Earmarks

The Sunlight Foundation, a non-partisan organization that reports on Congressional corruption (aka earmarks) is reporting that Stupak and his minions have requested over $4.7 billion dollars in earmarks.  I guess that this will be their pay off for passing the government's seizure of health care. 

A day after Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and ten other House members compromised on their pro-life position to deliver the necessary yes-votes to pass health care reform, the "Stupak 11" released their fiscal year 2011 earmark requests, which total more than $4.7 billion--an average of $429 million worth of earmark requests for each lawmaker.


Of the eight lawmakers whose 2010 requests were available for comparison, five requested more money this week than they did a year ago: Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Pa., Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and Rep. Charles Wilson, D-Ohio.

The eleven members were the focus of high level pressure by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats because they threatened to vote against the health care reform bill, which passed the House on Sunday, March 21, by a seven vote margin. Granting earmark requests are one of the ways leadership can encourage members to vote their way.

Stupak requested more than $578 million in earmarks, including $125 million for a replacement lock on the Sault Ste. Marie, $25.6 million to build a federal courthouse in Marquette, Mich., $15 million to repaint the Mackinac Bridge and $800,000 to preserve the Quincy Mining Company smelter near Hancock in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

It's just the usual payoffs and corruption that's become common place in the "most ethical Congress ever" under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi.  Yet again, the Democratic party has outdone the GOP in showering money on Congressmen who vote correctly.  The only way to end this vile practice will be to pass an amendment to the Constitution that fobids any such extra-legislative bribery.