The GOP in January

As we read the "GOP Charges up Captitol Hill", the title of an column by Fred Barnes in today's WSJ, we are reminded by Mr. Barnes that voters favor spending cuts when it doesn't affect them.

Remember that GOP Aaron Schock gets the majority of votes cast from the Corn Belt. He is not only supporting more corn used for foodstocks to be burned up in vehicles while supporting the 40% tariff on Brazilian sugar cane ethanol; in fact Schock wants to see corn ethanol mixed in gasoline raised not just from 10% to 15% but an amazing 25%. Reports are that farmers had a very profitable year in 2010.

Dave Leitch, Dave Ransburg and other local politicians are still trying to get the already 72% taxpayer funded Peoria Riverfront Museum more government funding (why do you think the big hitters are holding off digging into their own pockets)?

The PPD zoo has set aside $500,000 or $750,000, the PPD is good at "creative bookkeeping", to offset zoo losses next year and efforts are being made to get more grants to finish this zoo, still lacking at least $5 million in funding for the parking lot and new entrance.

You can bet the PPD is trying to get government funds to cover the costs of remodeling Lakeview Museum into the new 33,000 sq. ft. Peoria Park District headquarters.

Don't get your hopes up too high, Tea Party People, unless you did the funding, politicians always favor the Special Interest big money "donations".

Every "donation" over $1000 that elect politicians to office should be printed in local media. I'll try to be optimistic but I spent 10 years of my recent life as an elected official and I have seen first hand the effects on politicians of special interest groups.

Personally, I've never been very popular with people who think the government should support everything they think is best for the "people".

By the way, how much per acre is the government paying farmers to experiment with pennycress. And if a new biodeisel plant is built in Peoria County, how much will the government be expected to fund? Start with $20 million and think upward.