This is pretty funny. From Operation Offset, the Republican attempt to solve Katrina by cutting government waste:
The recently passed FY06 Highway Bill, also known as TEA-LU, contained more than 6,000 earmarks, worth nearly $25 billion. Some of the most egregious examples include $200 million for the âbridge to nowhere,â a bridge in Alaska that would serve an island with 50 residents, $75 million for metro extension in Washington, D.C., $15 million to purchase three ferries and establish a ferry system from Rockaway Peninsula to Manhattan, New York, and $2.5 million for the Blue Ridge Music Center. For comparison, the 1998 transportation bill was considered a major budget buster at the time with 1,850 earmarks and a veto threat from President Clinton. In just seven years, Congress has added over 4,000 earmarks to the bill. Savings: $25 billion over ten years.
And since the 1998 transportation bill, we've had a Republican take control of the executive branch, increased Republican entrenchment in the Senate, and a strengthened Republican majority in the House. How that Highway Bill got so porky is really anybody's guess -- you sure won't find any blame in Operation Offset! And bully for it; this isn't a time for blame. This is a time to be thankful we've got responsible congressional Republicans ready to step in and clean up this government they control!
