Kentucky Club for Growth
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January 29, 2007

Dems cut pork

Why can't Kentucky get Democrats like this?

It was just a spud for starters: a $200,000 spending earmark Congress added in 1982 for the breeding of Eastern Russets. A quarter century and $28 million later, special research grants for potatoes top $1.4 million annually with no end in sight -- until now.

As part of a giant spending bill to be filed in Congress tonight, Democrats will take a spade to more than $186 million in such research grants, which have quadrupled in the Agriculture Department since the 1980s. Hardest hit are the nation's 58 land-grant colleges, which have become dependent on the funds and now are caught in the backlash against members of Congress "earmarking" money for particular causes or recipients.

Filling about 150 pages, the bill will govern spending for the last eight months of fiscal 2007 -- ending Sept. 30 -- and coming just a week before President Bush submits his budget request for fiscal 2008, its proposed cuts underscore the changed landscape after November's elections. The new Democratic majority has declared a moratorium on earmarks, while Congress establishes rules to deal with past abuses in the appropriations process. But only now will Washington get a glimpse of the full impact on spending and the balance of power between Congress and the White House.

Kentucky is still well-acquainted with pork. Will even one of the Democrats running for Governor please promise to spend no more than $15 billion in the next two-year budget cycle?

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04/17/07 : 2007 Kentucky Club for Growth Scorecard

03/26/07 : House Bill 228 shields porkers from scrutiny

03/09/07 : Kentucky's senate votes to raise minimum wage

02/24/07 : HB 305: Wage controls

02/22/07 : KEY VOTE ALERT

01/07/07 : Key Vote: Budget Transparency

11/30/06 : A constitutional amendment to reduce lawmaker accountability?

Donor records might have similarities - Lexington Herald-Leader

Club for Growth launches in Oregon

The Kentucky Club for Growth is proud to announce its 2007 scorecard rating members of the Kentucky General Assembly on fiscal issues.

How did your legislators do?


Club for Growth eyes spending - by Patrick Crowley, The Enquirer

Political group taking on state - by Stephenie Steitzer, Kentucky Post

Projected state budget surplus is trimmed - by John Stamper, Lexington Herald-Leader

UK study: Tax breaks create fewer jobs than state claims - by John Stamper, Lexington Herald-Leader

Tax breaks don't create as many jobs as state claims, UK study finds - by John Stamper, Lexington Herald-Leader

Ky. minimum wage fight likely - editorial, The Enquirer

A brisk rise in American Wages - By Mark Trumbull, The Christian Science Monitor

Fletcher expects $278.9 million surplus - by Jack Brammer, Lexington Herald-Leader

Unemployment lowest in 5 years - By Jeannine Aversa, Associated Press

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* Reducing needless regulation

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