Political Quotes

“This amendment would prohibit $1 million from being used for a restoration and improvement project at the historic Darwin D. Martin House and complex and would reduce the overall cost of the bill by a commensurate amount. According to the sponsors of the Web site, the entity that would receive the earmark is called the Martin House Restoration Corporation, whose purpose is to restore a structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at the turn of the 19th century. The MHRC's Web site says that it was formed in 1992 with a clear mandate. First part of this mandate: Raise the money to restore the complex to its 1907 grandeur. There are a lot of historic buildings around the country, a lot of them, that need a lot of restoration. My own home needs a lot of it. A lot of people are losing their homes. Those homes need a lot of restoration. A lot of them are losing them because of the Federal Government's spending ways. {time} 1950 Yet here we are designating one project to receive a million dollars. Again, let me say it one more time. This is not as if every Member comes here and is designated a million dollars to take home and spend in their district on restoring homes. They aren't. The spoils system runs well here. If you're on the Appropriations Committee or you're in leadership, you get the spoils. That's why 42 percent of the earmarked dollars in this bill are going to just 13 percent of the Members of this body.…”