Question: Are you surprised by Congress’ decision to pass a budget loaded with 8,500 “earmarks”?/Moscow-Pullman Daily News

• I was hoping for more fiscal restraint
• Earmarks will eventually help the local economy
• I have no faith that Congress will do the right thing

Money, money everywhere and not one cent fit for New Orleans. The recently passed $787 billion porkulus bill contains Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s, D-Nev., pet $8 billion earmark to build a high-speed train linking Disneyland to Las Vegas. And Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., topped off the lard bucket ironically misnamed as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with tens of millions of dollars dedicated to restoring the habitat of the salt marsh harvest mouse, a treasured mascot of San Francisco’s environmental extremists. Billions are destined for ACORN, the voter-fraud wing of the Democratic Party. But, there is not a single dime designated for rebuilding New Orleans/Michael Costello, Lewiston Tribune. More here.

Correction: Risch had wrong mouse, district in blasting stimulus package

Question: Some here have objected when I referred to the stimulus package as “porkulus.” Obviously, Idaho schools will benefit from the Mother of All Bailouts. But can you mention any other specifics about the bill that would cause you to support it?

Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, now says his controversial bills to make permanent cuts in laws governing school funding and teacher contracts may not be needed at all, what with big money coming Idaho’s way from the federal stimulus package. “It looks like Idaho could be in line for $160 million and some of that money could be available as soon as next week,” Nonini said. Some of the federal money is designed specifically “so teachers don’t get cuts in salary, teachers don’t get laid off and programs don’t get cut,” Nonini said. “We all thought it would be best to just not rush into the hearings”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Earlier: Plan anticipates $110M in school cuts

H/T: Bob

Democrats Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Walt Minnick of Idaho voted no Friday as the House passed President Barack Obama’s $787 billion plan to resuscitate the economy. They were among just seven Democrats who voted against the plan. Minnick opposed the stimulus measure last month, but DeFazio switched his vote. He was the only House member to oppose the bill after supporting the initial version/AP. Story here.

Question: Did Demo Minnick, as your congressman, vote the way you wanted him to do so?

The Senate today passed an economic stimulus bill that President Obama and congressional Democrats called crucial to pull the U.S. economy out of its downward spiral but that drew scant support from Republicans. Senators voted 61 to 37 to approve the massive bill, which the Congressional Budget Office now says would cost $838 billion over 10 years. Only three Republicans voted in favor of it. In the House, an $819 billion version of the package passed on Jan. 28 with no Republican support/Washington Post. More here.

Related: Idaho senators vote no. Read news releases for Crapo and Risch.

Question: Did Idaho Sens. Crapo and Risch vote correctly?

Our nation is in trouble. Unemployment rates are climbing, people are watching their savings disappear and all of us are worried about what comes next. That’s why Idaho families, workers, businesses and local governments should get what they have asked for from the U.S. Congress: smart investments to create new jobs and put people back to work. I do not believe that the largest spending bill in U.S. history is the most effective way to do that. That’s why I voted against the American Recovery and Investment Act, otherwise known as the stimulus bill. What began with a tight focus on job creation and infrastructure improvements ballooned into a ‘something for everything’ spending proposal. And it will saddle our nation with economic burdens which could be just as onerous as the one we are wearing now/U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick. More here (pdf).

• Crapo sets iTown Hall meetings
• Sen Broadsword explains opposition to women’s commission 

• KEA advocate to discuss Kootenai County comp plan