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Military.com Forums Hot Topics & Current Events Point-Counterpoint Everybody go out and buy some Heinz ketchup|
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Then Senator Kerry would have the money to pay for this himself.
Kerry asks $20m for Kennedy institute Fiscal groups criticize military bill earmark By Bryan Bender Globe Staff / September 25, 2009 WASHINGTON - A large military spending bill moving through Congress contains a little-noticed outlay for Boston that has nothing to do with national defense: $20 million for an educational institute honoring late Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. Watchdog groups rap $20m earmark for Kennedy institute The earmark, tucked into the defense bill at the request of Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, requires US taxpayers to help the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate realize its goal of building a repository for Kennedy’s papers and an accompanying civic learning center on the University of Massachusetts at Boston campus in Dorchester, next to the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum. The item is drawing fire from fiscal watchdog groups, who assert that military funds should not be raided to pay for an institution that has nothing to do with improving military readiness. “Whatever beneficial value civic education may have, it’s hard to see why the Defense Department should pay for it,’’ said Laura Peterson, a senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Taxpayers for Common Sense in Washington. “It would seem the location of this hefty earmark has more to do with the powerful position of its sponsor than [the Defense Department’s] responsibility to educate elementary school children.’’ Kerry strongly defended the insertion of the $20 million earmark yesterday. He requested that it be included in the $360 billion defense budget, he said, to recognize Kennedy’s long tenure on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The institute will serve as a focal point for the late Massachusetts senator’s legacy, much as presidential libraries do. It will house Kennedy’s official papers and oral histories from the nearly half-century he served in the Senate. With a museum and exhibit space, it also will be dedicated to educating the general public, students, teachers, new US senators, and Senate staff about the role and importance of the Senate in American political life. The institute plans to host an annual “Summer Senate’’ for high school students from across the nation. The $20 million earmark would cover as much as 40 percent of the institute’s initial fund-raising goal. Beyond raising questions about the practice of slipping earmarks into bills in Congress, the provision also presents a potential ethical question for Paul Kirk, the longtime Kennedy aide Governor Deval Patrick appointed to fill the late senator’s seat yesterday. Kirk, who stepped down yesterday as chairman of the JFK Library Foundation, has also served as a member of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute board and has played a key role in helping plan and raise funds for the new center. If he casts a vote in favor of the defense bill, he also will be voting in favor of an institute to which he has had close personal and professional connections. - A spokeswoman for Kirk, Stephanie Cutter, said yesterday that he does not see his roles as conflicting. Watchdog groups rap $20m earmark for Kennedy institute “Mr. Kirk expects to vote on every issue important to the people of Massachusetts. He resigned from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute board at 8 a.m. this morning, so we don’t expect a conflict to exist, but of course he’ll comply fully with the ethics rules of the Senate,’’ Cutter said in an e-mailed statement. She did not respond to a question about what role, if any, he played in securing the $20 million earmark. Kirk is not running in the January special election for a new senator to fill out the remainder of Kennedy’s term. He has not yet said whether he intends to return to the JFK Library Foundation once his interim Senate appointment expires. At Kerry’s request, Senator Daniel Inouye, a Hawaii Democrat who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, added the $20 million earmark to the defense bill, congressional aides said. The funding would come on top of $5 million secured with Kerry’s help earlier this year in a Labor Department spending bill, which provided money for the institute’s planning and design. The center had raised an additional $20 million in private donations earlier this year, and more money has been contributed by members of the public since Kennedy’s death last month from brain cancer, said Joe Ganley, an institute spokesman. Ultimately, Ganley said, the majority of the center’s funding will come from private donors, not taxpayers. He said many of Boston’s most influential civic leaders, including businessman Jack Connors, are helping to raise funds. The institute’s president, and it’s only staff member so far, is Peter Meade, a former Blue Cross-Blue Shield executive who also serves on the board of the JFK Library Foundation. Meade was unavailable for comment yesterday, Ganley said. Using the national defense budget for such earmarks is considered a particular affront by those advocating for fiscal discipline in the midst of two wars that are straining Pentagon coffers. Overall, the Senate version of the bill includes 778 earmarks worth $2.65 billion, including a number that have little or nothing to do with military matters. A major concern is what gets cut from the Pentagon budget to make room for things like the Kennedy institute, said Winslow Wheeler, director of the Strauss Military Reform Project at the left-leaning Center for Defense Information in Washington. “The committee did not add money to the bill to pay for its billions of dollars in pork,’’ Wheeler said. A spokesman for Inouye declined to explain why the Kennedy institute earmark was inserted into the Pentagon budget, rather than into an education bill or other piece of legislation. In a statement released by his office, Inouye said, “It is my sincere hope that many of these students will be inspired to seek a life of public service, with the same spirit of patriotism and love of country that I saw each and every day from Senator Kennedy.’’ While Kerry said using the defense budget to fund Kennedy’s institute was a tribute to his “leadership on military technology, weapons systems, and safety equipment for our troops,’’ Wheeler said he believes there is a more practical reason. “It’s a natural for Kerry to go to Inouye on this,’’ Wheeler said. “If it’s in the defense bill it must be a good idea. And the defense bill is sure to pass. He wanted a fast vehicle to get it enacted.’’ boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/09/25/watchdog_groups_rap_20m_earmark_for_kennedy_institute/?page=2 |
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"The day is wasted in which you learn nothing" |
Heinz had long been my fav but, when I learned of the Kerry connection, I jumped for #2: Hunts. I expect to discover some sticking point there too but I'll deal with it then. Maybe I should learn to make my own.
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Highly Experienced Member |
I'll buy the store brand before Heinz.
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SuperSpy |
 I posted something VERY SIMILIAR on the ITN KENNDEDY's INTERIM REPLACEMENT NAMED. Yep!! My remarks are there! Boycott Heinz! I use the store brand. |
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Experienced Member |
I buy whatever's on sale. Anything to save a buck or two.
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SuperSpy |
Military Funds Should not be raided for this B.S. |
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That's a joke, son. |
Senator Kerry nor his wife have any connection with the brand. More silliness. |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
What's silly is 20 million taxpayer dollars to support the legacy of an alcoholic senator that should have been tried on felony charges. Bad precedent ... waste of tax dollars ... typical Democrat move ... dead and still wants his hand in your pocket. |
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Highly Experienced Member |
Mrs. Kerry inherited close to $500 million from the death of her husband: Mr. Heinz. John & Theresa Kerry currently have 4% share(more then likely in her name) in the Heinz Corp. The above is from snopes.com |
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That's a joke, son. |
UNDER 4% (as of 1995). If you read their reports (H.J. Heinz Company HZN), they no longer own any stock in the company. This message has been edited. Last edited by: SenClaghorn, |
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Highly Experienced Member |
4%, says nothing about a trust. Not to mention, do the math, 4% of a business as large as Heinz.  Hell if it was 1%,it would still be a huge amount of money. |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
Screw Theresa and Heinz ... that isn't the issue. The issue is the taxpayer footing the bill for archiving some senator's papers. IMHO, that is not a precedent we want to set ... and is a waste of taxpayer money.
Where's George Soros when the Democrats need him? My e-mails have been sent to my congresscritters ... Vote NO ... and let the word go forth that Ted Kennedy's dead hand is no longer needed in our collective pocket. If the Kennedys and Kerrys want to honor Teddy in this manner, they collectively have more than enough ready green to do so without tapping in to the poor damn taxpayer yet again. |
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-------------------  Proud Member Derelict Veterans' Group -------------------  |
It's still a connection though, isn't it? Todays politics remind me of an old saying. - "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas?" - Joseph Stalin |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
Who cares ... you are letting the dweeb distract you from the real issue ... specifically why should the taxpayer be stuck with the cost of archiving some senator's papers. It is a lousy precedent to set, particularly for a senator that should have been a convicted felon. |
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Highly Experienced Member |
We're not getting distracted IM. If anything it serves as a reminder as to how much Senator Kerry & wife are worth. If it means that much to them, write a check. But the sad thing is it will probably get added on as some pork to get a peice of legislation through.
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That's a joke, son. |
UNDER 4% (as of 1995). If you read their reports (H.J. Heinz Company HZN), they nor the Heinz Trusts no longer own any stock in the company. |
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---------------- Proud Member ----------------  |
Further along in the same article:
That earmark is about 0.75 percent of the earmarked dollars in the bill. I'm guessing that the dollars earmarked run like 60/40...along party lines. Got any clue as to the other misappropriations, or just taking the opportunity to slam a dead guy? Now go a-way or I shall taunt you a second time! |
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------------------- Proud Member Derelict Veterans' Group ------------------- |
My bad. Jeez, who pee pee in your wheaties?  Todays politics remind me of an old saying. - "Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas?" - Joseph Stalin |
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Highly Experienced Member |
Source? |
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That's a joke, son. |
You've said the same thing about 5 times. I think we get the part where you have convicted the dead senator. Oh and it is not a precedent. Lots of ear marks, from members of both parties, dead or alive. |
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That's a joke, son. |
Well here is a start: {http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=HNZ The source you shared showed the divestiture in 1995, and the UNDER 4%, but that was 14 years ago. Kinda stale news. |
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Experienced Member |
Before you go out and boycott all of Heinz products, you should be aware that Heinz also manufactures other products for other companies, under the other company's name.
At least the local plant does. |
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Highly Experienced Member |
No, no no, gotta call shenanigans, bottom of the page, last updated Sept. 2007. Let's see, it says last updated Sept. 2007, it's Sept. 2009. OK, 2007 minus 2009, hey that's 2 years. A whole lot less then 14 years. Imagine that. So, shenanigans.  |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
Fine ... I take you at your word and await links to earmarks that provide for the archiving, display, education, etc of a a dead senator's life works. Produce. |
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That's a joke, son. |
Read what it said, not the date of the post. It says she divested in 1995. 14 years ago. There is no factual information posted there. it is stale. |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
*bumped ... waiting ... |
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Highly Experienced Member |
She still has stock, OK under 4%, but you act as if that's peanuts. BTW, what was your site suppose to prove. It appeared to be nothing more then Q&A. Sorry if I missed something there. Back to the whole point of the thread it's still BS. Maybe with the emergencies that Mas is facing the Democrat Gov. will get around the election law(put into effect to block a Republican Gov) & they'll get the 20 million for the Swimmer's library. |
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Previous Posts as Jade_Gate |
*bumped ... waiting |
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That's a joke, son. |
LOL http://www.senate.gov/artandhi...istorical_Office.htm Some much material, so little time. |
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That's a joke, son. |
Here is one for McGovern and Chase (Thune was one of the sponsors):
[http://watchdog.net/e/4576 Or for the Rayburn Lib: [http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/62742.html |
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Military.com Forums Hot Topics & Current Events Point-Counterpoint Everybody go out and buy some Heinz ketchup
