Republican Party
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“Tea Party Republicans swept into Congress vowing to eliminate earmarks and pork-barrel spending, calling them wasteful and corrupt. Republicans banned earmarks when they took control of the House in 2010.”
“Republicans voted 158-52 to keep earmarks, and Republican members actually requested $3 million more per earmark than Democrats on average ($4.7M vs $1.7M).”
The same party that made eliminating earmarks a signature issue and banned them in 2010 later voted to restore them and used them more aggressively than Democrats, requesting nearly three times more money per earmark
“More than 200 House Republicans voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, calling it irresponsible spending.”
“President Biden noted there are 'a lot more Republicans taking credit for that bill than who actually voted for it', calling out the pattern of opposition followed by credit-taking.”
Voted against infrastructure spending as irresponsible, then sent press releases and held press conferences taking credit for the same spending in their districts, applying different standards depending on whether they were voting or campaigning
“Republican candidates in the 1994 Contract with America pledged to implement term limits for Congress, making it a cornerstone of their platform.”
“Many of the same 1994 class members who pledged term limits went on to serve for decades, abandoning their pledges when it was time to leave.”
Made term limits a signature campaign promise to win election, then abandoned the pledge once in power, arguing their opponents hadn't made the same commitment
“Republicans pushed the federal government to the brink of default and demanded spending cuts under President Obama, claiming the national debt was an existential threat.”
“Republicans passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act projected to cost $1.9 trillion over ten years and also increased spending, despite the economy being at the peak of the business cycle.”
The same party that nearly triggered a global financial crisis over deficit concerns under a Democratic president then added trillions to the deficit under a Republican president with no comparable urgency or concern
“Republicans demanded investigation of Obama-era drone strikes and civilian casualties, suddenly concerned about the human cost of the drone program.”
“The Trump administration loosened rules of engagement and civilian protection standards for drone strikes, with minimal Republican objection. Civilian casualties increased significantly.”
Republicans demanded accountability for drone strike civilian casualties under Obama, then went silent when Trump loosened the rules of engagement and civilian casualties increased
“Republicans criticized Obama's use of executive orders as 'imperial presidency' and 'executive overreach', calling for Congress to reassert its authority.”
“Trump signed 55 executive orders in his first year, 16 more than Obama in his first year, while Republicans celebrated his unilateralism.”
Spent years calling executive orders unconstitutional overreach under Obama, then celebrated more extensive executive action under Trump with no principled distinction
“Republicans championed the Patriot Act as essential national security legislation, expanding government surveillance powers despite their stated commitment to limited government and individual liberty.”
“The Patriot Act vastly expanded the government's authority to spy on its own citizens while simultaneously reducing checks and balances like judicial oversight and the ability to challenge government searches in court.”
The party of limited government and individual liberty championed one of the largest expansions of government surveillance power in history, applying different standards of government intrusion to national security vs. economic regulation