Staff Reports
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Senator John Thune swooping in with a whopping $116 million in earmarks like a political superhero trying to save the day and stave off a government shutdown in a spending package! The South Dakota Republican is diving headfirst into the mix, hoping to secure funds for various projects that hit the sweet spots of energy, water, transportation, and housing.
Now, hold your horses, conservatives are raising their eyebrows at the over 6,000 earmarks stuffed into this package. They’re side-eyeing Thune, worried that pushing this bill through as is might be a betrayal of their fiscally conservative values. Come on, John, don’t make us break up with you before you even have a chance to become Senate minority leader!
Senator Vying To Replace Mitch McConnell Crammed $116 Million In Earmarks Into Spending Billhttps://t.co/OQ9FVlk3Ki
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 5, 2024
Thune, with a glint in his eye and a spring in his step, has thrown his hat in the ring for the leadership of the Senate Republican conference. He’s eyeing the crown that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will soon be passing on, like a political game of thrones (but hopefully with less backstabbing).
The clock is ticking, folks! The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 is the talk of the town, a mega-package of six bills that need to get the government’s piggy bank in order until September 30. If this baby doesn’t pass before Friday, we might be staring down the barrel of a government shutdown. Yikes!
What’s in Thune’s magic sack of earmarks, you ask? Well, there’s a $23.6 million plan to build a wastewater transportation system, connecting three South Dakota towns to a fancy new treatment facility. He’s also got his eyes set on a $30 million cash injection to set up a housing trust fund in seven fancy-schmancy South Dakota counties. And let’s not forget about the $26.75 million earmarked for a road construction project to make our treks to Black Hills National Forest, Mount Rushmore, and the Pactola Reservoir a breeze.
But wait, there’s more! Thune’s got a $12 million dream to expand water treatment, a couple of small fry road-building projects, and a cool $6.5 million earmarked for a new facility at Southeast Technical College. Talk about spreading the wealth, John!
Despite all the buzz, Thune’s office is keeping mum for now, not giving an inch to the prying folks at the Daily Caller News Foundation. But hey, who needs comments when you’re making it rain earmarks, am I right?
In conclusion, Senator Thune might just be the knight in shining armor riding in to save the day with his bag of earmarks, but conservatives are side-eyeing him like he just suggested a tax hike on a Sunday afternoon. Let’s hope this spending package sails through smoothly, without any stormy clouds on the horizon.
