HA HA HA

Isn't this just spiffy!!

Talk about playing politics! WTH is this? Not a republican trying to have it both ways? haha

GOP lawmakers tout projects in the stimulus bill they opposed


WASHINGTON — Rep. John Mica was gushing after the House of Representatives voted Friday to pass the big stimulus plan.

"I applaud President Obama's recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America's future," the Florida Republican beamed in a press release.

Yet Mica had just joined every other GOP House member in voting against the $787.2 billion economic recovery plan.

Republicans echoed their party line over and over during the debate: "This bill is loaded with wasteful deficit spending on the majority's favorite government programs," as Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., put it.

But Mica wasn't alone in touting what he saw as the bill's virtues. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, also had nice things to say in a press release.

Young boasted that he "won a victory for the Alaska Native contracting program and other Alaska small business owners last night in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."

One provision would have made it harder for minority businesses to win contracts, and Young explained that he "worked with members on the other side of the aisle to make the case for these programs, and was able to get the provision pulled from the bill."

Yet later in the day Young — who recently told McClatchy that he would've included earmarks, or local projects, in the bill if it had been permitted — issued another statement blasting the overall measure.

"This bill was not a stimulus bill. It was a vehicle for pet projects, and that's wrong," he protested.

That was more in line with the Republican message.

Young wouldn't return a request for comment on the apparent contradiction of his press releases.

Mike Steel, a spokesman for House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio, at first ducked when asked about Mica and Young issuing press releases praising the bill they'd opposed.

"I don't work for Mica or Young," Steel said initially.

But then he explained that what Mica and Young did in touting aspects of the bill was in fact consistent with the Republican message.

"Being supportive of one portion of a trillion dollar bill, but voting against the entire trillion dollar bill, is perfectly reasonable," Steel said.

Mica is the top Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and a longtime backer of high-speed rail. GOP committee spokesman Justin Harclerode explained that Mica saw the bill's $8 billion for rail as a "silver lining," and "he's encouraged others are supporting high speed rail too."

But nowhere in the Young or Mica statements was any mention that they opposed the bill.

Harclerode wasn't sure why Mica didn't mention his opposition. "It's not really secret," he said. "I guess it just wasn't the focus."

(Erika Bolstad contributed to this article.)

you're surprised???? it's politics and it's all over

they flip flop in politics???? say it ain't so. it's not exclusive to one party though

i should run for president and put the bad drivers, rude people, etc on an island

our entire political structure needs a revamp. The way it is set up currently needs redone so we can get choice of GOOD canidates. I'm tired of voting for the 'less' of two evils. We need publicly funded elections each canidate would get a set amount of campaign money and a budget they can work with, no calling in personal favors, or appearing on this talk show, or this one for publicity. Spend your money wisely...and guess what if you run out of campaign money...guess you can't handle a small budget...not trusting you with a big one. That and it would allow more people to run...of course there would have to be some sort of screening process...but hey that wouldn't be hard. That and yes our economy is in the crapper right now....but it is very simple to fix....very simple. It would take tax cuts for the middle to lower class...massive tax cuts. Get rid of the wastefull government spending. Which is billions of dollars every year for stupid projects. And the final thing it would take is some experts getting on the news and saying the economy was on an upswing. Because unfortunatly we are a tv society and only believe what we hear. What closes down banks? people getting scared and taking all their money out! what makes the price of shares drop? people getting scared and selling them all, and too afraid to buy anymore. The stock market is a giant machine it won't crash on its own...what WILL crash it though is no one investing because they are scared and only people selling....but that is just too simple of a plan...and doesn't cost us billions and billions of dollars.....you know so you can buy that $88,000 area rug you've always wanted.

I'll vote for you if I can be the first man....

plain and simple...I may not like whatever bill is passed, but if I'm getting any of my hard earned money back...I will take it

I don't think anyone will be surprised. However, if they were so against it like they said they were, they should have not accepted the money. But, we knew that wouldn't happen.

i don't agree with being a hypocrite (by saying one thing then changing like that) but it's been happening in politics for who knows how long. I would still take my money even if i don't agree with the entire bill. but i won't flip flop. happens on ALL sides, every party, all walks of life

I don't think we're saying (at least I'm not) that it doesn't happen in politics. However, it does make me laugh since they were so strongly against it.

I don't ind it funny. I think it's sad that people (in politics or the real world) flip flop so easy. it's everywhere. and in politics...it happens whether you are republican, democrat, independant....whatever

Why so?

Suppose we vote on welfare. I am against it. A vote passes anyway. Now, I am not only to be taxed on welfare against my will, but I am also expected to take no benefits? This would only make sense in a free society, where you'd proceed to build a welfare with other like minded individuals and left everyone else alone.

But, we do not live in free society. Once you have won the majority vote, you will force it down everyone's throat.

Thus, it is unreasonable to expect anyone to behave as if he lived in one.

I agree. If they voted no they should not take the money.

I also feel that the democrats and the rest of you that voted for Obama should have to re pay the debt incurred by this bill.

Then the people that voted for Bush need to pay back the money that he borrowed from the Fed. and China.

This is exactly it. It's the good and bad of a democracy. We're all getting screwed. We should get something whether or not we supported it. Though I did not support it, I will do everything in my power to get every cent I can out of it. i'm paying for it - why not get something with my raping.