Sometimes politicians just have to rise above principle. Like Republican legislative leaders who have come to love spending taxpayers’ money – for goodies that help them politically.

The Republican civic religion is that government is the problem and no problem can be solved by throwing tax dollars at it.

Unless it’s a baseball stadium or a museum in a powerful legislator’s district.

This year, the N&O’s Colin Campbell found, Republican legislators spent:

$200,000 for a baseball stadium in Speaker Tim Moore’s district.

$1 million to turn a parking lot in Senator Trudy Wade’s district into a “central gathering space.”

$1.25 million to 13 towns for “downtown revitalization.

$500,000 for a museum in Senator Harry Brown’s district.

A few years back, the Tea Party wing of the GOP threw a tempest over a teapot museum in Sparta that Democrats funded. They howled when Marc Basnight funneled money to a pier in Nags Head.

Senate Boss Phil Berger said then, “How do we justify $400,000 for a teapot museum? How do you think that plays out there?”

Not well, apparently. Speaker Moore declined to answer questions about the earmarks. Said his spokesperson, “I’m not sure what is new on this topic.”

What’s new?

Old Republican mantra: Cut wasteful spending.

New Republican mantra: Get while the getting’s good!

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