The Senate is currently debating a $410 billion funding bill intended to allow smooth functioning of the Federal government through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. Senator John McCain has consistently campaigned against earmarks, also better known as “pork”iIn the funding bill, and both Republicans and Democrats have a number of earmarks that total about $8 billion dollars.
McCain — who has confessed to being a computer illiterate — has recently joined the Twitter bandwagon, tweeting this past week to single out projects he deems unworthy of funding — including $237,500 for expansion of the the Japanese-American Museum in San Jose, California.
Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Mike Honda, secured the funding to help the museum, which has raised $50,000 privately but lost a $600,000 state grant to California’s budget woes; construction has been halted for lack of funds. Honda has been tweeting back at McCain, with tweets like “Jap. Museum boost tourism (thus jobs) in SJ Japantown, last of 3 authentic US Japantowns. Zoe & I proudly supported its funding.” Understandably, Honda and Lofgren are trying to keep their constituents happy by bringing any federal funding to their region.
But personally, I do not know what the proper avenue for funding for the Japanese-American Museum in Japantown should be; maybe the shortfall in funding should have been part of the Obama economic stimulus plan, as this would allow for the continued construction and final completion of the Museum and continue to keep the project on track as well as people employed. And frankly, I am sick of the over-hype of Twitter and that computer illiterate politicians like John McCain are joining in on the action.
