Flip-Flop Frank Has a Real High Opinion of Himself

February 17, 2009 by Cato  
Filed under Fiscal Policy, Maryland, Maryland Politics

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD1), aka Flip-Flop Frank, surprised the world by voting against the initial stimulus bill.  The man was to be commended.  Until ….

You’ve got it!  Unable to abandon his lefty, O’Malley-acolyte roots Kratovil voted for the final conference report on PORKULUS.  This, in itself, was not surprising.  This type of behavior was something that many of us predicted throughout his campaign.  A true son of MoCo and PG County, Kratovil basically believes that his Eastern Shore constituents are just a bunch of hicks that can be snowed by smiling pretty, shaking a few hands and throwing a few bacon scraps our way.

What really amazed me, was Flip-Flop Frank’s reasoning:

Congressman Kratovil and his Blue Dog Coalition colleagues fought to streamline the final stimulus package so that it focused on critical investments in areas like transportation infrastructure, and rural broadband. Some of the programs that will now receive funding on account of Congressman Kratovil’s efforts are:

• Transportation infrastructure investments to improve roads, bridges, flood control, clean water projects, and other infrastructure projects
• Education infrastructure for school modernization, renovation, and repair
• Grants to states for job training and workforce development
• Critical Investments in rural communities such as broadband services and wastewater projects

This sounds great.  I almost would be IF any of it were true.

Flip-Flop Frank (F3 for short), in Congress for less than six weeks, attained key projects.  Sure he did.  I had no idea that F3 was even on the conference committee.  Way to go Frank!

What did F3 have cut from PORKULUS?

As opposed to the original bill that Congressman Kratovil opposed, the final package no longer includes some of the more egregious discretionary spending such as:

 

• Funding to sod the National Mall
• Funding for smoking cessation activities
• A tax break for movie producers to buy motion picture films
• A polar-ice breaking ship for the Coast Guard. ($88 million)
• Money for the Centers for Disease Control for screening and prevention of STD’s

Of course, ACORN is still getting $1 billion.  Millions are being spent on new cars and yes, golf carts, for civil service class.  And the list goes on.

Great job Frank!  I know that I sleep better at night with you protecting the federal treasury.