Eagar Challenges Incumbent Senator's Pork Spending Record

From Eager:

Subject: Eagar Challenges Incumbent Senator's Pork Spending REcord

Eagar Challenges Senator Bennett's Pork Spending Record
U.S. Senate candidate says Senator is no conservative

U.S. Senate candidate says Senator is no conservative

SALT LAKE CITY, Monday, November 9, 2009.  Cherilyn Eagar, candidate for U.S. Senate opposing Senator Bennett (R-UT), recently returned from Washington, D.C., where she met with several elected officials on Capitol Hill.  "They gave me a copy of our Senator's record, with the charge to alert Utah voters.  Our Senator is deeply entrenched in Senatorial back room deals that are bankrupting our nation.  His colleagues told me he's part of the problem, and they want him gone."

Since she entered the race in June, Eagar has broadcast Senator Bennett's ranking as the #8 most liberal Republican in the Senate (American Conservative Union).  "He claims he is 'Utah's conservative choice,' but the reality is, he votes for pork spending 91% of the time," Eagar said.

The record shows that in the 109th Congress, Senator Bennett sponsored or co-sponsored a total of $31.6 billion in pork spending.  The following year showed a sharp decline at $7.5 billion.  "That's because he's coming up for re-election.  His colleagues say he's playing a game with Utah voters by 'lurching to the right," Eagar said.

The record also shows that, in 2006 and 2007, Senator Bennett voted to increase the debt limit. Eagar says Bennett is addicted to earmarks, called the "gateway drug" in Washington D.C.  "He voted against the earmark moratorium and transparency legislation so he can continue his back room deals," Eagar said.  "His reckless deficit spending habits and negligent oversight on the banking committee combined to set the stage for the meltdown of 2008 with its trillions of debt."

Eagar also said her opponent voted against a resolution stating it is irresponsible for Congress to authorize new spending for programs that borrow from Social Security, Medicare, foreign nations or future generations of Americans and that it has a moral obligation to offset the costs of new government programs and initiatives.

Eagar said, "What is irresponsible is his voting record.  Our Senator cares more about his re-election than the multi-generational debt he has foisted upon our children and grandchildren.  The problem is, these appropriations have no Constitutional standing, no connection with the original intent of the bill, and they pass without public scrutiny or any debate on their merits. They represent nothing but pork-barrel spending."

"With several thousand of these earmarks dumped into one bill," Eagar says, "the bill is assured of passage. These earmarks are not only a primary source of out-of-control spending and debt, they are also the lifeblood of the 'Incumbent Party' to which he belongs.

"Our senator is playing 'Let's Make A Back-Room Deal' with our children's future.  It's time to clean up Washington now and put an end to pork spending.  It's time to thank our Senator for his service and throw him a retirement party."

Joe the Plumber will be touring Utah next week (November 17-19) with "Eagar to Clean Up Washington with Joe the Plumber – The Utah Tour."  Joe (Wurzelbacher) will be stumping for Cherilyn Eagar's campaign, with a rally at the Capitol at 12:30 p.m. and a dinner at 7:00 p.m on November 18.  For more information contact AYoung@Eagar4http://www.facebook.com/l/a9206;Senate.com