There have been much discussion about earmarks - which is a good thing just because more discussion - more transparency. All earmarks are not created equal, all earmarks are not bad, curiously earmarks have decreased as the more public they have become. I do not know if we should altogether remove earmarks - my guess is that they were created because something was not working and earmarks appeared to solve the problem.
But I have been pretty peeved that the members of congress that did not vote for the bill - complaining about wasteful earmarks - which they themselves had earmarks in.... follow me after the fold for my rant and my proposed solution, maybe?.
Did they remove their earmarks? No. What is even sadder is that they will get that evil earmark money - make their constituents happy - and then they campaign on that they voted against that evil earmark laden bill.
I respect that our congress members need to vote for their constituents but the bull about being being horrified all the way back to their state with the $$money$$ is a little to hard to swallow.
President Obama talked about his new rules for earmarks yesterday ... Jed Lewison provided the transcript and video :
Obama Earmark Reform Remarks
'What you likely have heard about is that this bill does include earmarks. Now, let me be clear: Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their districts, and that's why I've opposed their outright elimination. And I also find it ironic that some of those who rail most loudly against this bill because of earmarks actually inserted earmarks of their own -- and will tout them in their own states and their own districts.'
The irony of the members of congress that did not vote for this bill and stalled this bill - because of earmarks, had earmarks in the bill themselves - and did not remove them just burned me. This irony got me thinking just how to solve that problem..... But just a bit more from President Obama's list of principles on earmark reform...
'...we can come together around principles that prevent the abuse of earmarks.
These principles begin with a simple concept: Earmarks must have a legitimate and worthy public purpose. Earmarks that members do seek must be aired on those members' websites in advance, so the public and the press can examine them and judge their merits for themselves. Each earmark must be open to scrutiny at public hearings, where members will have to justify their expense to the taxpayer.
Next, any earmark for a for-profit private company should be subject to the same competitive bidding requirements as other federal contracts.'
Check out the whole speech if you have the time - as always it is worthwhile.
In addition to President Obama's principles I propose that congress creates a new rule that if you have an earmark in a bill - and then you do not vote for that bill - your earmark gets removed. I believe this is a simple request - stop the free loading of earmarks on any bill that travels past you - focus on the bill and what is in it.
As a side benefit of this new rule is currently the republican party is proud to claim the status of 'no' - so I suspect that earmarks could decrease at a rapid rate.