Tea Party Conservative Republicans Push for More Government Spending – In Their Districts of Course

And The Oscar for Hypocrisy Goes To . . .

The New York Times has an in-depth story on how some freshman Republican members of Congress are aggressively pursuing federal spending on projects in their districts, despite their past and present campaigns against such spending.

Lawmakers like Representative Tim Scott, Republican of South Carolina, who advocated for the harbor dredging project with other members of the South Carolina delegation, insist their requests are neither earmarks nor wasteful . . .

In his news release, Mr. Runyan, who had run a campaign on ending the “fiscal insanity” in Washington, boasted of his efforts in getting continued money for replenishing the sand on the beaches in his district. . . .

Republicans from Minnesota and Wisconsin have pushed for a bridge between their states to replace the Stillwater Lift Bridge.  Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times

On the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, local officials and members of Congress have pushed for a new four-lane bridge over the St. Croix River that was co-sponsored by Representative Sean P. Duffy, a Wisconsin freshman Republican, and Representative Michele Bachmann, the three-term Minnesota Republican who is running for president. . . .

Well, you get the picture.  Of course all of these so-called fiscal Conservatives will likely support cuts in Medicaid, the program that provides basic health care for elderly and disabled people who cannot afford health care.  But thanks to people like Mr. Runyan their pain and suffering can at least take place on a nice beach.