N.C. earmarks total $2.2 billion

Foxx is proud to keep her district an underfunded backwater.

McIntyre will probably have a lot too. It's the BRAC expansion, which also dictates quit a bit of non-military spending for new schools, sewers, etc. to accommodate the 100,000 plus military families being relocated to our fair state.

Same with Etheridge. All of his military earmarks are for N.C. spending.

— RTB 

Cool by me. I happen to have a great fondness for NC and actually prefer my tax dollars be spent here.

BTW, I'm not adjusting Kissell's earmarks figures to remove military spending, since his requests were all for spending in N.C.

— RTB 

I'm going through them right now. I think I'll have to adjust a fair number of them eventually, but I wanted to get Butterfield up right away because it was such a huge difference.

There are also national requests for reading programs, etc., in the other lists.

— RTB 

RTB, since only Butterfield's numbers were adjusted does that mean military procurements by other NC Representatives were left in?

I notice the remaining top Representatives with requests have Districts near Ft. Bragg or sit on Armed Services. I don't think that's irrelevant. The impact and demands of Base Realignment and Closure is going to be staggering on the surrounding areas, while benefiting the entire defense community and nation.

I just think that maybe the way the federal Congress throws around money should be handled differently, because doing it this way is wasteful, inefficient, and concentrates too much power on individual Congressmen.

Take it up with our Founding Father's.

Not one dime can be spent from the federal Treasury without the approval of Congress.

They're called Representatives for a reason. You can lobby yours just like the military does. Assuming of course your Representative isn't Foxx or Myrick. They both quit doing anything but running for re-election.

Umm.... I didn't say a word about Democrats, Republicans, anyone being weak on defense, or think I was overly "mad" at anything. I'm very pro-military, as I think it's one of the select few proper uses of government.

I just think that maybe the way the federal Congress throws around money should be handled differently, because doing it this way is wasteful, inefficient, and concentrates too much power on individual Congressmen. And that maybe things can be worthwhile, good things, but have no business having federal taxpayer money being spent on them, or at the least, other people closer to the ground should be making the decisions on how money for their particular department is spent, or at the least.... that there be some process not as arbitrary as gaining favor of a politician.

but, umm, yeah, go ahead and be mad at whatever you're upset with :)

Don't most of the earmarks referenced by Gosh belong in the military budget, and not just thrown into the regular government spending bills? And if the Pentagon doesnt want to pay for them, maybe they arent needed? Doesn't the Pentagon have a operating budget, or review process for their needs? Or do they simply rely on the good will of whatever congressman happens to have a base in their district?

That's a lot of questions for someone with all the answers.

And good will? If you think G.K. Butterfield gets one vote for protecting your behind, you go ahead and get mad.

Likewise if you think all those Republicans suddenly rejecting such earmarks aren't thankful as hell they've got the Dems to do the necessary work for them since their party swore off McCain's new dirty word, get madder!

Now, who were you mad at again? Oh, yes. Those so-called 'weak on defense Democrats' saving your behind while opportunistic hacks like Foxx and Myrick proudly reject their own constituents' tax money coming back to them in the form of defense, infrastructure and cops on the street.

Don't most of the earmarks referenced by Gosh belong in the military budget, and not just thrown into the regular government spending bills? And if the Pentagon doesnt want to pay for them, maybe they arent needed? Doesn't the Pentagon have a operating budget, or review process for their needs? Or do they simply rely on the good will of whatever congressman happens to have a base in their district? If they need it increased fine, but random dart throws at spending just because it's on a military base in our state... doesnt make sense to me.

I looked through a lot of those earmarks just now. I'm sure a lot of them are worthwhile, good intentioned things. I just don't understand why exactly the federal government should be involved in most of them.

The next time I hear whining about how some governement program doesnt have appropriate funding, and some kind of poor person is going to do without, well... go pick your favorite earmark from around the country. There's your money.

Do you really expect Democrats to be responsible. They follow a it's not my money logic.

No, it's our money and thank God it's coming home. Even knowing full well it's necessary, Republicans inartfully picked a buzz word out of focus groups to demonize for political points alone.

The dreaded "earmark."

Do you think Foxx and Myrick think some of the top requests from NC Representatives are frivolous or do they thank God someone isn't abdicating their singular job of taking care of us since they're too busy playing politics?

Question: Where do you think this stuff comes from?

* The largest request is $2 billion for Virginia-class submarines from the Northrop Grumman Corp.

* $84.7 million to extend a road through the Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville.

* $88 million for barracks at Fort Bragg for returning soldiers.

* Extending Murchison Road at Fort Bragg, $35 million.

* Refueling overhauls for Navy aircraft carriers, $1.6 billion.

* $78 million to complete the deepening of Wilmington Harbor.

* Construct a dining facility at Fort Bragg, $12.6 million.

* Construction of new aircraft carriers, $807 million.

* Build new headquarters for the 406th Army field support at Fort Bragg, $16.5 million.

* Help N.C. National Guard prepare unmanned aerial systems, $6.1 million.

Answer: All Democratic earmarks.

Apparently these federal politicians are not smart enough to know to not spend money they do not have. If they want to spend money - fine - but do not spend money you do not have, and do not have a plan for paying back. Our federal politicians are an embarrassment and will eventually bankrupt this once great country. As the old saying goes, I have seen the enemy, and the enemy is us.

Do you really expect Democrats to be responsible. They follow a it's not my money logic. You even see it here in this state.
Until people wake up and throw out all of the big spenders of both parties we are in trouble.

Thank you Congress Women Myrick & Foxx. I only wish the other greedy congressmen would follow your example. I am sure these two need money in their respective districts but they have a back bone and said NO. Why can't all the others take a stand against wasteful and unnecessary spending. If we had 433 Representatives like these two we would soon be out of this current economic mess and back to a positive budget for the country.