Lawmakers Rail against Stimulus, Crave its Funds

For members of Congress, it's a proven vote-getter: lining up federal money for local projects.

Almost every member wants to "bring home the bacon." That includes many who are campaigning against what they call "pork barrel spending," CBS News Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

(Scroll down to watch a video of this report)

Special Section: Campaign 2010

A rallying cry for many Republican candidates this fall is their fierce opposition to the $787 billion stimulus bill.

Texas Rep. Pete Sessions has been ripping the spending package, using such campaign lines as "no to budget-busting stimulus bills."

Then there is this boast served up by Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann in an advertisement: "I fought against the Bush Wall Street bailout, the failed Pelosi trillion dollar stimulus."

But it turns out no sooner was the ink dry on the stimulus bill than these lawmakers - and dozens of others from both parties - were reaching out behind the scenes for money to fund millions of dollars in local projects.

"When it came time to get a piece of the pie afterwards, people were writing letters by the dozens," said John Solomon of the Center for Public Integrity.

That group says it collected nearly 2,000 letters from "scores" of Republicans and conservative Democrats requesting funds from a bill they originally opposed and many still criticize.

But that didn't stop Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown from asking for $45.4 million in funds or stop Sessions from requesting $81 million in stimulus money for a Texas rail project, a grant he did not win.

But Minnesota's Bachman still wanted money for a state bridge project she said "would directly produce 1,407 new jobs per year."

It wasn't just Republicans. Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick of Idaho voted against the bill then wrote a series of letters in support of a broadband project. He's now running a campaign ad in which he says, "I've said no to more government spending."

"I think that's just the type of political doublespeak that makes voters crazy," said Ryan Alexander of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Most lawmakers argued they didn't want their personal objections to prevent money from flowing to worthy local projects, the kind of government spending they still so publicly oppose.

More Stimulus Coverage

Report: Anti-Stimulus Lawmakers Fought For Funds
72,000 Stimulus Payments Went to Dead People
White House: Stimulus Was Worth It
WH Defends Stimulus, Highlights Projects
For Obama, Stimulus is a Four-Letter Word

[wakeup2020]

You call that hypocrisy?

Obama has created almost 100,000 private sector jobs every month sofar in 2010. So why do the republicans keep complaining about job losses? Because more than 100,000 GOVERNMENT JOBS were lost in some months.

That's right the teabag republicans are whining about Obama not creating enough GOVERNMENT JOBS. Now that's what I call HYPOCRISY.

[Cattzen]

Republicans are always the one's perpetrating exactly what they're accusing others of doing.

always.

[starleo146]

What have we learned in this election? I ask you what have we learned. Speaking for my self I have learned Money and Media is the answer to everything. Pour the money down and the media picks it up and flies with it and who is the media beholding to advertisers that is who pays the bills and who's side are they on certainly not the poor or middle class, it is big money and big business, and who is hand in hand with big business the Republicans, who has helped big business with every vote and palm slap of of a dollar Republicans. Who said I want this president to fail? Who said in the House of Congress you lie the Tea party chairman De mint. The Supreme court even helped to make this work by granting cooperations the right to not disclose any campaign money,which is pouring in right now by the fistfuls. The Middle Class is being demolished as we speak it is crumbling before our eyes, why? Well the people believe all this propaganda and will take the knife and stick it in there own back to help the republicans and the media to succeed. They will destroy thereselves and this country. This is what I learned. why no jobs? Because Big Business wants to show they are the boss and the bigh banks will help that point to get across. Who is making all the money today ? Big business and Banks. Who is funnelling this money to the people who can help them Big Business, and the republicans who voted against American out of a job to get unemployment.I will not vote for one Republican because they wanted there power back and did everything and Anything to get it back. All on the backs of every American citizen in this country.Well they got us into this mess and they will no0t be able to get us out unless big business wants us out and God help the Republicans if they do not play ball with Big Business and the Media.

[wyodutch]

Here in conservative, Republican ruled Wyoming.. "Grrrr! We hates that Obama and his socialist agenda! Grrr!" (Wyoming will receive roughly $540 million from the stimulus package. Grabbing every penny we could get out grimy hands on.)... Can you say "OINK!", "OINK!", "OINK!"?

[cktirumalai]

Many areas of life are subject to contradiction and hypocrisy, which seem almost a part of the human condition as presently constituted. This does not, however, excuse or exonerate politicans, many of whom think of compromise as their first language. Legitimate compromise sometimes shades into a person being financially compromised. Politicians love to get re-elected and therefore bring money to their districts. The responsibility of their constituents is to judge the value of such procedures. My guess is that many voters are swayed by them and the jobs and prosperity these earmarked projects bring.
Candadai Tirumalai

[wyodutch]

Historians tell us that by the end of the Roman Empire, goods were pouring into Rome from all over the known world, but about the only thing being sent out of Rome was human excretement and garbage. America has not yet reached that point, but we are certainly well on our way. In 2010, the number one U.S. export to China is scrap and trash. Yes, you read the correctly. The number one thing that China buys from us is our garbage. According to author Clyde Prestowitz, China's number one export to the U.S. is computer equipment (nearly $50 billion) while our number one export to them is waste paper and scrap metal (approximately $8 billion). When it comes to world trade, China is literally wiping the floor with the United States.... But there still some joy in Mudville. The CEO's bonuses are at record highs and the Banksters and Shysters are enjoying the fruits of YOUR labor.

[bc-1948]

Disagree strongly that the "Democrats destroyed American's middle class" and I would like to look at your "evidence" of that. Rather, the middle class has been destroyed by the loss of the job base that created and maintained the middle class. Perhaps it was bound to happen - a cycle of moving into a great divide where 2% control 85% of the wealth - We let companies become global companies and move the middle class jobs overseas and didn't have a good plan on how to replace them. So, we have the top making the majority of the money and the middle class sinking downward through stagent wages and low paying jobs. Manufacturing and new technologies are the answer - not more McDonald jobs. Yes, it takes a significant investment by a partnership of government and private enterprise - but what a better county we will become. We are beginning to look like South Africa when the white minority ruled - or third world countries where a very small percentage are rich - the rest poor.

IT doesn't have to be that way - but pure capitalism - without controls creates that result.

[ffoulkes-2009]

I see it this way: They were against the huge sum of money going out, but once it was voted for, had to ask for some of it back to cover what their voters were PAYING into the government for this rediculously large package.

[voxpopulus]

Or they were just hypocritical creeps.

Hmmm. I wonder.

[voxpopulus]

Or they were just hypocritical creeps.

Hmmm. I wonder.

[askagain]

Here is a solution to the money woes federal, state, and local governments are having. Outsource as much government work to countries such as India. With highly skilled workers who earn 10% of what American workers earn, our government could save huge amounts of money for the taxpayers. With modern communications and the internet, much of what our government workers do can be handled cheaply and efficiently by workers in other parts of the world.

[rightbehind]

I've worked for many a federal contractor. They all stand in line to get federal contracts. Republicans try to play on ignorance when it comes to spending on the United States and its people. They always say we can't afford it. Doesn't matter if the bridges are falling in. Republicans will build roads and bridges in foreign countries and hand the US the bill. At least this President spends money on the United States and its people. The bridges are looking great!