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| 228 views | caivn.org
Taking another step forward in 2011, the Texas congressman and darling of the more libertarian, Tea Party wing of the Republican Party is continuing to walk the walk, returning a whopping $140,000 in unused office funds to the U.S. Treasury for the purpose of paying down the national debt. The sum is nearly 10% of his office funds and a 40% increase over the $100,000 he returned last year.
HAHA! Well at least 1/10th the cost of one.....
Tomahawks it is.
Tomahawks it is.
Very true. You have to rotate your stock....can't just have them sitting around you know. Plus they can bilk more money out of us to build more as they get more "expensive".
Senior Congressional members don't rely on their office funds for operations - those are for freshman members. Senior members get millions of dollars for each committee they serve on - and Ron Paul serves on half a dozen such committees.
Yeah, I'm hard to impress. But Ron Paul seems to demand nearly a hundred million dollars for his district in Federal funding (one of the highest), and has acquired twice the wealth of the average Congressman. He seems to be doing what the article accuses of all Republicans - they congratulate themselves as fiscal conservatives for cutting tiny budgets they don't use or care about.
Tea Party has largely been taken over by the establishment right.
Senior Congressional members don't rely on their office funds for operations - those are for freshman members. Senior members get millions of dollars for each committee they serve on - and Ron Paul serves on half a dozen such committees.
Yeah, I'm hard to impress. But Ron Paul seems to demand nearly a hundred million dollars for his district in Federal funding (one of the highest), and has acquired twice the wealth of the average Congressman. He seems to be doing what the article accuses of all Republicans - they congratulate themselves as fiscal conservatives for cutting tiny budgets they don't use or care about.
" Senior members get millions of dollars for each committee they serve on..." Can you verify this statement that Ron Paul gets millions of dollars for EACH committee he serves on?
"Ron Paul seems to demand nearly a hundred million dollars for his district in Federal funding (one of the highest)"
33rd out of 435 in 2009.
Texas has never even been in the top 30 for Federal money received, but are in the top 30 for money given to the feds. So he says that since he is voting against the bill and if the spending bill does get passed at least it is transparent where the money is going since they are going to dole it out anyway, he figures why not keep some for his constituents. He looks at it like a tax credit. Take that as you will.......
"....has acquired twice the wealth of the average Congressman."
I don't think that is true....oh...it's not. He is well under the average. Then there is Nancy Pelosi. Far and away ABOVE the average.
Cost of the missile depends on the payload. The standard cruise missle variant with no MIRV should be close to the 600K price point.
Senior Congressional members don't rely on their office funds for operations - those are for freshman members. Senior members get millions of dollars for each committee they serve on - and Ron Paul serves on half a dozen such committees.
Yeah, I'm hard to impress. But Ron Paul seems to demand nearly a hundred million dollars for his district in Federal funding (one of the highest), and has acquired twice the wealth of the average Congressman. He seems to be doing what the article accuses of all Republicans - they congratulate themselves as fiscal conservatives for cutting tiny budgets they don't use or care about.
Shanus beat me to it. I'm not a big fan of RP because most of his monetary policies wouldn't work in a global economy. But he does practice what he preaches, and that goes a long way when politicians are concerned.
The Unused Office Funds has been a tactic used since the 90s to pretend to be fiscally conservative without doing anything. Yes, I thought it was stupid when Democrats did it too. Every four years or so, Senior Congressional members try to cut office funds because they rely on the vast majority of their funding through Committees on which they serve (it's often a tactic used when the incoming members are of the other party).
That's because the rest of Texas isn't represented by Ron Paul. I believe other districts in the state only collect about 1/20th as much, per person. By this reasoning, ALL Government spending is just a "tax rebate".
His defense of earmarks also seems to be an argument for the ignorant. When we talk of "pork-barrel politics", we are referring to the earmark process. Most spending legislation is debated and evaluated, but earmarks are inserted secretly through committee. Until the recent transparency initiative, they were all completely anonymous. It is wasteful. The purpose of a Committee is to prioritize spending on a rational basis, using analysts, statisticians, and NAS reviews.
Most Federal transfers (~3/4) are just payments to pension and health care. Texas is just a younger state, so most workers pay more than they receive right now. Texas' higher poverty and lower wages don't currently make up for their youth, because most Federal spending goes to the old - not the poor.
On things that matter, I would disagree. He votes against things and takes extreme positions that have no way of passing, but that's just protesting. Per dollar, he is quite wasteful when it comes to securing and representing his tiny district, relative to the funds he attracts.
The overuse of earmarks is the only way a single House member can attract significant funding, and Ron Paul uses it to its limit. It is silly to brag about saving $100K, when you are spending tens of millions of dollars more than comparable districts.
I suppose if this is something that really interests you, I can set aside time later in the week to look up the most recent primary expense resolution. On average, a committee operates on $10-$20 million dollars, and has a handful of members to share that cost.
You seem to be of the impression that Ron Paul receives this money for his personal use - that would be illegal. This is just how Senior members receive most of their office funding.
In income, I generally use the median since that is what we intuitively mean. I have a spreadsheet I can provide, if it can be done anonymously.
I don't mean Congressmen get wealthy through Government - I forgot some of the more conspiracy-minded would assume this. Such people not already born into wealth just use their Government-induced publicity to sell books and speaking engagements. Ron Paul gets value from celebrity status more so than we traditionally see.
"Maybe I should be more blunt - Ron Paul seems to be using tactics here that appeal to the stupid / ignorant."
So now you are treading into the realm of "conspiracy". You are trying to paint Ron Paul as some evil scientist rubbing his hands together. "Yes, yes. I will give money back and these stupid ignorant people will think I am good guy. But actually it is just part of my larger plan of nationwide domination." Negro please.
"He isn't operating his office more efficiently - he just has far greater operating funds than most other Congressmen."
Prove it. Do you do his books? Do you work there? Are you saying that he isn't being frugal in any manner? If you are going to call him a liar, back it up with some solid facts of his in-frugality.
RP isn't the only one to give back this year. Bill Owens actually gave back more and he should be given an attaboy for that. He must be a fucking asshole to I guess. THIS is probably the more likely scenario that occurs with extra money. I am not sure what it would prove, no matter what his operating costs are.
"I believe other districts in the state only collect about 1/20th as much, per person."
If you know that off of the top of your head it shouldn't be much for you to post a link that shows that. Because I can't find shit on it.
"The overuse of earmarks is the only way a single House member can attract significant funding, and Ron Paul uses it to its limit. It is silly to brag about saving $100K, when you are spending tens of millions of dollars more than comparable districts."
If that is true wouldn't Ron Paul be operating as rational person in his situation? Or would that not count? If he is spending more than other districts would that possibly be that his district is an important port for shipping and Navy? Yet, he votes against the spending bills....so I don't know what your problem is....he is just being a rational person in his situation.
"You seem to be of the impression that Ron Paul receives this money for his personal use - that would be illegal. This is just how Senior members receive most of their office funding."
No. I was not under that impression. I was just curious as to how much because MILLIONS seemed a bit much. The only committees that I see he is on is the Committee on Financial Services (two sub) and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (one sub). Do the Subs count the same as the larger committee? Giving money back is a fucking rarity for ANY Congressman. How that money is procured (except illegally) should not matter....what matters is that he gave it back. Period.
"I don't mean Congressmen get wealthy through Government - I forgot some of the more conspiracy-minded would assume this. Such people not already born into wealth just use their Government-induced publicity to sell books and speaking engagements. Ron Paul gets value from celebrity status more so than we traditionally see."
Oh you can get wealthy through government....no conspiracy. So Ron Paul, being a rational person in his situation, is going to use his experience in government, which is why he has a celebrity status, to forward his view. People like what he has to say versus say, oh, Howard Dean. Then again, I don't know why you care. Oh, wait a sec. I do know why you care....people listen to him and it drives you crazy.
Oh you can get wealthy through government....no conspiracy. ....
"This modest proposal is the only solution: let's require a vow of poverty from anyone who wants elective office. There is no other way out of this."
lol! Could you imagine?