Earmarks, earmarks, earmarks!

Well, well, well...we're hearing the Republicans again talking about fiscal responsibility.  Now they're against earmarks.  Beertap has a great post titled Earmarks and GOP Hypocrisy.

Apparently Republicans have been talking fiscal responsibility and not practicing it for years.  Under Reagan the national debt tripled despite Reagan coming into office talking about getting control of the budget.  Under the Republican Congress and the Bush White House in 2005 they had 15,000 earmarks totaling about $47 million.

Beertap finishes:

There were about 15,000 earmarks in 2005.  The cost: $47 billion.  All this with Republicans controlling both the White House and Congress.  Our national debt is now over $9.2 trillion and climbing.  Now that the Republicans have lost Congress and therefore their ability to add substantial earmarks they’re calling for an end to earmarks.  No doubt they’ll start those earmarks once again when and if they take back Congress in the future.  Don’t get me wrong.  I believe we need to pay off our national debt and that ending wasteful earmarks is something worthwhile.  History shows, however, that Republicans aren’t interested in actually ending earmarks, balancing the budget, and paying down the national debt when they’re in power so please excuse me if I believe their interest in earmarks this year is simply to score political points.    The Who said it best, "I won’t get fooled again."

•  Except that

  Everyone hates earmarks--unless it's their own representative handing out the cash.

  [ps, post a tip jar]

  by AndrewMC on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 07:06:29 AM PDT

•  It is a good idea

  I think it would be great if the Dems called the bluff of the repugs and completely outlawed all earmarks. It would save a lot of money and force expendatures to go through a structured process. It's a good idea and the Dems should embrace it.

  by VClib on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 07:18:43 AM PDT

•  We should call their bluff...

  and agree to end earmarks for 5 years or until we have a balanced budget...whichever comes first

  Take this issue away from them...they don't have it yet because they are just as guilty as the Democrats on this one...but it could reasonate if we let them win...

  If we win in November, we will not need earmarks to get spending through the congress we like anyway...the Republicans who will be in the minority will be the ones wanting to push earmarks...to get any spending in their "RED" districts.

  by dvogel001 on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 07:20:10 AM PDT

•  While we're at it, end shrub's tax cuts too.

  And as the pubs like to say, "make it permanent!"

  by manwithnoname on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 07:53:15 AM PDT

•  Earmarks, porkbarrel both election year BS

  Every congress person want earmarks.  They are the projects and money that go to a home district.  They are the means to do "something" for the people they represent.  My Senator proudly told me she got $14 million for the asparagus growers who are "having a hard time".  I don't grow asparagus and though I like asparagus, I don't see why they need $14 million of anyone's tax dollars because their business didn't go well.  Of course, I'd rather it go to asparagus farmers than Exxon/Mobile....but that's just me.
  The hype that earmarks are a terrible thing only come up in election years when people are asking them..."What the hell are you doing with our budget?"  Along with SS, medicare and medicaid, aid to dependent children and food stamps, they use earmarks as a red herring.  Military industrial buildup is the area that gets and spends the MOST money in our government.  Stupid, redundent weapons programs and bureacracy....but we dare not suggest that we don't support any and all stupid weapons or we'll be soft on terra....

  by gdwtch52 on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 08:23:31 AM PDT

  •  the MIC is a problem as well...

    As we do with our own families when budgets are tight and we are overstreached with credit we should be looking to cut every dollar we can...

    Remember every dollar we save today is $5 our grandchildren will not have to pay back!!!

    by dvogel001 on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 10:30:02 AM PDT