Good story in this week’s Arkansas Leader.
It’s about a visit to Lonoke by U.S. Sen. John “Dr. No” Boozman, the Republican scourge of earmarks and government spending, particularly on poor people. Stimulus money to put people to work? Nope. Loans to automakers to keep workers employed. Fuhgeddaboudit.
But wait. Turns out their ARE exceptions to Boozman’s oh-so-principled penny pinching. Factor the needs of government welfare-dependent farmers into the mix and Boozman’s head can be turned like a cheap chorus girl.
He said it is important to nail down federal money for the $614 MILLION Bayou Meto Basin Project. This will help nourish farms facing a dwindling water supply. The supply is dwindling because improvident farming practices over the decades have begun to suck dry the underground water supplies in eastern Arkansas.
Even though Boozman is for limiting federal spending and bringing down the national deficit, he supports funding for the Bayou Meto project. He believes it is a good use of federal dollars; by investing in infrastructure it helps creates jobs and long-lasting economic development for communities. Boozman, who opposes earmarks, said it was important to secure funds for the project near Scott and in Jefferson County
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All the federal money for the project so far has come from earmarks.
Today’s BHD Award goes to Dr. No. Again.