Congress seems to have fallen off the wagon again by adding $1 billion in spending for energy incentives to a bill to fund wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Members of both parties approved the $106 billion in spending to fund wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through Sept. 30 in votes last week. The bill contained $80 billion for combat operations, and $26 billion for non-military aid to countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. It also contained $7 billion to fight flu pandemics and money for replacing military equipment.
But it also contained $1 billion for a new spending program that provides $4,500 vouchers for people buying or leasing new cars that are more fuel efficient.
Of course, fuel efficiency is a worthy goal, but with the country running on a record deficit of $1.8 trillion, we should not be throwing around even a billion dollars so lightly. Congress has approved plenty of incentives for fuel efficiency in energy bills it has passed, and the president himself can adjust the mileage standards on vehicles manufactured in the U.S.
Five Republicans voted in favor of the bill along with 221 Democrats, according to Thomas voting reports. Some 32 Democrats and 170 Republicans opposed the bill.
The vast majority of the spending the bill went for its intended purpose — war spending. Many of those who voted in favor probably did not like the extra $1 billion on non-war related spending, but voted in favor because they favored most of the bill. That is often the defense one hears from members of Congress. They held their nose but voted in favor for the overall good the bill does.
That’s laudable. But at some point, someone in Congress has to make a point of order to curtail some of these frivolous add-ons that not only anger the public, but cause them to lose faith in the government.
Editorials
War funding bill had unnecessary spending
obituaries
- Editorials
-
-
Total Power...
-
2011 Heart Walk: Steps in the right direction
It's always pleasant to report good news in which our entire community can participate with positive results.
Such is the cae with next Saturday's annual American Heart Association’s Lake Cumberland Heart Walk at Somerset High School.
As of today, some 250 Pulaski County residents are expected to participate by — quite literally—taking positive steps to improve their health. Their goal is to to raise $35,000 this year to fight heart disease and stroke, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, respectively. However, with this encouragement, perhaps even more will join in the effort.
The non-competitive, one- to three-mile walk begins at 10 a.m. and includes teams of employees from local companies, along with friends, family members and survivors of all ages.
Activities will be available, including a kid’s zone, music, a survivor memorial, and helicopter appearance by Air Methods KY. Throughout the day, heart healthy snacks and information will be available.
-
'Golden Leaf' has lost its luster
For many years, tobacco was the undisputed king of crops in Kentucky, but the end of the tobacco quota program in 2004, a continuing decline in the number of smokers in the United States and increased competition from foreign-grown tobacco have combined to greatly diminish tobacco’s impact on the state’s farm economy.
To be sure, more tobacco is grown in Kentucky than any other state, but the 726 million pounds of tobacco Kentucky farmers expect to take to market this fall represent a drop of nearly 28 percent from a decade ago when 991 million pounds of tobacco were raised in the state.
The number of cigarette consumers in the U.S. has dropped dramatically in the last two decades, and here in Kentucky, state and local governments and employers have actually encouraged the smoking decline. -
New Pulaski roads proving confusing
If you haven’t taken a wrong turn on Pulaski County’s recently opened network of new highways, you’re definitely in the minority. Braggarts around coffee shops saying driving on the new roads is a piece of cake are branded as smart aleck city slickers.
-
Honoring thosewho gave theirlives in service
In the years before he was nominated to the U.S.Supreme Court by President TheodoreRoosevelt, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. was thevoice of remembering those who served.Memorial Day became an official holiday throughan act of the federal government in 1967.
- ‘Human Training Wheels’
- Thrift is good for us, government The government needs to be more thrifty.
- Everbody used to love a parade Yes, those were the Good Ol’ Days; treasured memories of a time long gone.
- We need the strength of others It's time to take part in the conversation.
- War funding bill had unnecessary spending
- More Editorials Headlines
-






