"This is too little, too late," McGoff says. "Congressman Burton must think the voters of the 5th District are fools by putting out a statement like this."
In the statement, Burton said, "Because of the irresponsible spending and public outrage over largess in Congress, I have sworn not to request, and to vote against, earmarks since 2007. Until today, I was one of just thirty-two members of Congress to take that pledge. Today, with the entire conference of House Republicans adopting our ban on all earmarks, we have sent a clear message to the American people that we are serious about cutting spending, and serious about an ethical appropriations process in Congress."
"This is the typical political spin and sound bite leadership that our elected leaders in Washington use to get elected year after year," McGoff points out. "After sponsoring millions of dollars in earmarks prior to 2007, Dan Burton has now found religion. Our economy is in a shambles because of overspending and fiscal mismanagement. The damage is already done and Congressman Burton is now promising us that he won't do it ever again."
"Dan Burton's mea culpa is too late for the voters who have lost their jobs, or those who have had their homes foreclosed," McGoff says. "In 2008, I was the only candidate that had the courage to challenge Dan Burton because he stopped showing up for work and was too busy enjoying the perks of being a
United States Congressman. Now he wants to talk about getting serious about an ethical appropriations process. It's laughable. In 2007, he was the only member of Congress to vote against ethics reform."
McGoff points out that in the nearly three decades that Dan Burton has been in Congress government has gotten larger; the nation's deficit has exploded; our individual freedoms continue to erode; taxes are at the highest levels in our history, and partisan politics is the worst it has ever been.
"The Republican party has always been the party of less government, lower taxes and fiscal responsibility," McGoff recalls, "Over the last 28 years, Dan Burton has lost his way and is no longer on touch with Main Street Indiana. That's why it's time for him to go. As a 14-term Congressman, he should be a leader in Congress, and he is not. Dan Burton stopped being a representative that Indiana voters can be proud of a long time ago. He is an embarrassment, and we need to bring him home."
"In 1994, Dan Burton signed the now forgotten Contract With America that helped sweep the Republicans into power after being the minority party for over 40 years. In that contract, Dan Burton promised to balance the budget, cut spending, lower taxes and limit himself to six terms," McGoff remembers. "We trusted him, and it turns out he lied. Why should we trust him now? Past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice... shame on me."
How does Burton vote for or against much of anything when he's missed pretty much every important bill that comes up in the house *including an Iraq spending bill*, due to being out playing Golf?
When he has been present to introduce legislation, it's been wasteful stupid crap that might not necessarily qualify as "pork" or "earmarks" though he's always served his lobbyists well.
Sneeze guard over Congress? http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2009/06/_rep_dan_burton_r-ind.html
How much is that going to cost when our soldiers who actually are in some REAL danger had to get body armor paid for by family members running bake sales during the Bush Administration?
Everyone should be disgusted by Dan Burton and want rid of him.
I don't even care who it is, I've always voted for whoever runs against him, and continue to do so.
Posted by: Ryan | March 12, 2010 at 05:58 PM