We heard a lot about “earmarks” during the first debate. It was a somewhat obscure part of discussion and as a subject, very much tangential to the economic problems America faces.
“Earmarks,” “pork,” “member items”… whatever you want to call them, earmarks simply refer to money from the federal budget that members of congress direct to projects in their home states or congressional districts – hospitals, universities, community centers, et cetera.
Were there no earmarks than the Administration would decide how that money was spent through the appropriate federal agency. Earmarks to hospitals or health clinics would flow through the Dept. of Health, for example, usually in a competitive grant process.
Earmark reform is a real issue, abuses have been made. But eliminating earmarks as a way to solve America’s fiscal crisis, as McCain proposes we do, is a joke.
(chart via Andrew)
Tags: Barack Obama debate, Debate focused too much on earmakrs, earmarks, John McCain, John McCain's fetish for earmarks, McCain on earmarks
September 29, 2008 at 7:17 am |
Sorry, I know this is off topic and probably just one of my many quirks, but I do wish people would disable “Snap” in WordPress – I think it’s the worst and most annoying thing they’ve come up with in an otherwise mostly excellent system.
September 29, 2008 at 8:36 am |
Kill the frakin’ entitlements, and return the Federal government to it’s enumerated responsibilities.
You can eliminate the spending on the war, and all other discretionary areas, but it’s MEdicare, Medicaid and SS (plus the interest on the debt) that will kill this country.
Unfortunately, no one has the political cojones to suggest it, and if they do, they are pilloried, drawn and quartered.