Keith Ashdown
Keith Ashdown
creating government hunting money rather
I have better things to do than hunting around for where the money is hidden, ... We would rather the government be doing this, creating a one-stop shop. Is that really too much to ask?
anyone iraq money people precedent presence watching
Our Iraq presence isn't going away; the only thing going away is the people watching how the money is being spent. If you don't have anyone watching it, the precedent is that the money will be wasted.
budgetary easy federal fights footprint gorilla hard item known limit tick
We've known for years that there are some easy things on paper. But it's politically hard to limit the budgetary footprint of the federal government. Any item you try and cut, you're going to tick off an 800-pound gorilla that fights with a sledgehammer.
cut fly pigs
Pigs will fly before we cut this pork. I don't know how we'll make this happen.
congress gorilla happen major nobody program protecting talking
The only thing I think can happen is that (Congress enacts) a very large, across-the-board cut, ... and nobody is talking about that. Every major program has an 800-pound gorilla protecting it.
learn money months stolen wasted
We will learn months after the money was wasted or stolen that it was wasted and stolen.
disease preventing symptom tools troops
Those 2,966 earmarks are a symptom of a disease that is preventing our troops from getting the tools they need.
backyard considered fund gas industry items members oil powerful slush worst
We considered it one of the worst items in the bill. It's a slush fund for the oil and gas industry that would have been in the backyard of one of the more powerful members in Congress.
contention costs cut deficit derived five half hopes including inevitable itself large likely next proposals tall
With all these new programs, the administration's contention that the deficit will be cut in half in the next five years is a tall tale, derived in large part by omitting very likely or inevitable costs, including costs for proposals the administration itself hopes and intends to support.
businesses happens runs thousands type yard
There are probably thousands of businesses that need this type of help, but this happens to be in the back yard of the lawmaker who runs the subcommittee.
hearings next sets stage
This sets the stage for some very, very interesting hearings next week.
best government shows strive
This shows the best government contractors don't always get hired, the most politically influential do. We need to strive for more competitive bidding.
best change disclose discourse public review time
Transparency is the best disinfectant. If they would disclose everything and give the public time to review it, that would change the discourse dramatically.
alaska call hollywood north vancouver
You know how they call Vancouver 'North Hollywood'? Well, Alaska could become 'North North Hollywood,'