Omnibus Bill 2009: GOP pork and Hypocrisy du jour

While Congressional GOP members publicly decried ARRA 2009, there were some deals being made for the Omnibus Spending Bill, 1,124 pages which contain 9,000 earmarks, 40% of which are for GOP congressional pet projects.

While the bill itself has many redundancies with respect to ARRA, it is primarily an appropriations bill to support programs already in place. However, there are several politicians on both sides of the aisle that got funds for their own projects, something the beltway politicians like to call "SOOEY!"

Click here for a list of both Democratic and Republican members who got funding for clients of PMA Group, of whose 396 most recent issues, 309 were for defense.

And this information is for one lobbying group. One.

This bill passes at a time when the Justice Department is investigating earmarks and campaign contributions.

Some examples from the list of the 9,000 earmarks:

Oil Region Alliance sponsored by Collin Peterson (D-MN, House). Pricetag: $200,000.

Sustainable Las Vegas sponsored by Shelley Berkeley (D-NV, House) and Henry Reid (D-NV, House). Pricetag: $913, 000.

A Myrtle Beach International Trade and Convention Center sponsored by Lindsey Graham (R-SC, Senate). Pricetag: $950,000.

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY for digitizing and editing the Cody collection sponsored by Barbara Cubin (R-WY, House). Pricetag: $190,000.

For a complete list of disclosed earmarks click here and scroll down to "Appropriations Resources"

So while they cried "pork!" at the tops of their lungs into any microphone that was placed before them, they were working on a bill that is indeed pork.

Here's the cherry on top: Beltway GOP members are blaming President Obama for signing it and the Democrats for writing it.

Yes, you read that right: Blaming Obama for signing a bill that the GOP itself voted for and amended for its own projects.

We wanted transparency in our government and it appears we are getting it.

Sometimes, however, I wish the Emperor would put his old clothes back on.