Some senators balk at omnibus spending bill: $1.7 trillion, 4,100 pages, and full of earmarks to shock taxpayers

By
Suzanne Downing
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19

The Wall Street Journal calls it the “ugliest omnibus bill ever.” Congress will pass a 4,155-page bill most members will never read.

That’s more than three times longer than a copy of Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

The spending bill is full of $8,500 per American adult. Or in other words, that $8,500 in taxes per adult.

But since only half of adults in America pay taxes, it’s really about $17,000 per taxpayer for one year of government spending, not counting military spending.

In fact, it’s such an expensive package that you’d have to spend $2.3 million every day for over 2000 years before reaching $1.7 trillion. It’s going to add $15 trillion to the U.S. debt, bringing it to $47 trillion.

Some senators are balking at the bill to be voted on on Thursday.

“This process stinks. It’s an abomination. It’s a no good rotten way to run government. We’re standing up and saying NO,” said Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who joined a few others in making a statement on Wednesday that the bill circumvents the proper spending process, ramming through wasteful earmarks.

A few of those superfluous spending items include:

  • $410 million for border security for other countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Oman, and Lebanon.
  • A specific prohibition on spending for border control for the United States’ southern border.
  • There’s also $45 billion in military and other aid for Ukraine. The United States has already given $68 billion to Ukraine in earlier military, economic, and humanitarian appropriations.
  • “If an additional $47 billion in Ukraine funding isn’t enough for you, the bill also authorizes a “Ukrainian Independence Park” right here in DC,” Sen. Dan Bishop wrote.
  • $3.6 million for the Michelle Obama trail in Georgia, under the Department of Transportation’s budget.
  • $200 million for “gender equity and equality,” with some funds to be spent to promote gender equality in Pakistan.
  • $447,000 for an Equity Institute, stuffed into the Department of Education budget. That’s anti-racism funding.
  • $3 million inserted into the Housing and Urban Development Department budget for an LGBTQ museum in New York.
  • $1.2 million for student services for DACA students at San Diego Community College.
  • There’s a $25 million funding increase for the National Labor Relations Board, a payoff to Big Labor.
  • Child Care and Development Block Grant Program gets a 30% increase.

“Congress is jamming through major changes in public-land management; a plan to phase out large-scale driftnet fishing; new oversight on horse-racing; a restructure of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; changes to help Boeing meet aircraft-certification deadlines; and alterations to lobster regulation. That’s before lawmakers shoe-horned in sweeping healthcare changes on everything from Medicaid eligibility to the Children’s Health Insurance Program to Medicare provider payments,” the Wall Street Journal notes.

“The political process here is as bad as most of the policy. Major changes in law deserve their own debate and vote. Instead, a handful of powerful legislators wrote this vast bill in a backroom. Members can use the need to fund the government as an excuse to say they supported, or opposed, specific provisions as future politics demands,” the Journal says.

It’s almost certain that Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski will vote for the massive spending package that will create even more hardship for the grandchildren of America, who will have to pay for a spending package that was spent long before they were of age to even know they were being shackled by more taxes for a spendthrift generation.

It’s almost as certain that Sen. Dan Sullivan, who has tacked hard to the left lately, will vote for the package, although conservatives might still be surprised at his occasional show of independence from the liberal forces that are increasingly bending him to their will.

19 COMMENTS

  3. “ $200 million for “gender equity and equality,” with some funds to be spent to promote gender equality in Pakistan.”

    Why would anyone in America care one iota about this topic, for pity’s sake?!?!?!? Let alone throw $2MM at it?

  4. Rest assured that ALASKA has the best and most proficient Senate (Kowski & Sully) and House (newly minted Petula) representatives to deliver the best of Pork-Projects to ALASKA, maximizing the opportunity to help develop our resources to advance western civilization values and technological know-how and our unique location on the Globe. Certainly(!), the citizenry of ALASKA can expect nothing less than $50-$75Billion to be allocated to ALASKA for critical infrastructure. Most assuredly, these investments and expenditures will propel the USofA & ALASKA to the pinnacle of competitiveness and modernity, maximizing value for generations to come. These investments will no doubt pay dividends on a 10x scale of 10-years. And, something we can look back on in 10-20 years and be proud to explain to future generations of these wise decisions, emblematic of self-sacrifice for the greater good.
    Correct???

    • I didn’t. Don’t use the collective “we.” I haven’t EVER voted for 1 of them in over 40 years, and I, now thinking g what’s the point but I keep voting, don’t get :the government I deserve.” I’ve always voted for good candidates, or wrote a good one in. The R-D crap must end. Look at Alaska’s legislature for years for current examples of the dif.

  6. US Debt is now at $31.4 trillion.

    Debt per citizen is about $94,275.00

    Debt per taxpayer is $248,000.00

    Interest on our debt, annually, is between $500 billion, and $600 billion.

    Debt to GDP ratio is 135 percent.

    Expect more inflation and more damage to our economy as these fools in Congress spend like there is no tomorrow.

    Of course the biggest fools occupy the White House. Demented, mean, and corrupt- Joe Biden. Looking forward to Biden’s impeachment as the millions of foreign money paid to the Biden Crime Family is laid out.

  7. Democrats remind me of those shoplifting gangs. Just a big group of thieves with hammers smashing their way through the store taking all they can carry. Out the door they go with no one to stop them and you’ll never see the merchandise again.

  8. The biggest problem is not the annual porkfest. Rather, it is the length of the ‘bus – covering the rest of FY23, passing a mere couple weeks before Republicans take control of the House. Cheers –

  9. Count on Murkowski and Sullivan to do the opposite of what Alaskans want. They have repeatedly shown it over and over again!

    • I’m hopeful Sullivan has learned his lesson from his support of the Democrats “Infrastructure” (in name only) Bill and does not repeat that mistake by supporting this Omnibus monstrosity. It is unfortunate that the Democrat Omnibus Bill it being supported by RINO Mitch McConnell and the other RINO’s that kiss his as… errr. ring. It basically ties the hands of the newly elected Republican House and effectively turns their 2 year terms into 1 year terms since this Omnibus Bill would lock them into its spending provisions for their first year. But RINO Mitch and his toadie Lisa Murkowski don’t give a rats ass about that. Lisa hasn’t learned anything but then again, neither have those who sent her back to the Senate for another 6 years.

  10. I wonder how much money, under the table, Mary has already accumulated?
    Her husband likely is her full time employee managing that money!

  13. Why were earmarks ever allowed back into bills? And why do the senate/house/whitehouse not have line item veto capability? Many states have that and it gives specific bodies of government the ability to accept a bill but individually veto those cute little riders that seem to get attached.
    Why do we even debate lisa and dan? They’ve long ago cemented their spot in ‘the organization’ and no longer need to respond to what the state of Alaska needs and wants.

  14. Our two idiots will be a yes when they know this will put us in a recession. Lisa, Dan and Mary DO NOT CARE if they bankrupt this country. WTF? Vote NO and force real negotiations on all the items. PORK GOTTA GO,

  15. How is a $1.7 trillion spending bill going to raise the national debt by $15 trillion? Am I somehow misreading this?

  16. Well, now we know the real makeup of the Senate…

    Eighteen Republicans joined with all 50 Democrats to pass the $1.7 trillion budget

  17. Here is the deal.

    These statistics are skewed. Just like media.

    At a scientific level, statistics ARE factual.

    Here is where that changes.

    Scientists are commanded to base their study on a THESIS.

    Another word for thesis is a theory.

    But wait for it…because I am going to bring it.

    The levels of analysis, interpretation, dissemination of said study is NOT regulated in the same rigorous manner that scientists undergo.

    What does that say to me?

    Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark Laws have been infringed upon blatantly, publicly and for the individual and group self-enrichment.

    Welcome to accountability.

    How many “clicks” are you accountable for today?

    For full disclosure, I trademarked my name several years ago.

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