Pass ban on earmarks
Missouri Congressman Todd Akin got $3.3 million in federal earmarks for improvements to a highway near nine acres in suburban St. Louis that he’s planning to develop.
Now, there may be nothing wrong with this. After all, it’s inevitable that with 535 members of Congress, some will occasionally suggest projects that might look to be of personal benefit. A Washington Post investigation notes that since 2008, 33 legislators have procured more than $300 million in just such earmarks.
But it looks bad. And it looks particularly bad when the funding is obtained outside the normal checks and balances of an established government formula, outside established priorities. While highway improvements are often needed, procuring funding through the non-competitive, less-than-fully vetted, not-at-all-transparent earmark method is not needed. In fact, this is only the latest arrow in what is becoming a full quiver of arguments against the earmark system.
The people have a right to expect that their tax dollars will be wisely and prudently spent and not appear to be handed out as favors or for personal gain. Earmarks, even when directed at worthy causes, always look as if they fail to meet those standards.
The solution? Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri is seeking 11 more votes to pass a permanent ban she’s co-sponsoring on federal earmarks.
It’s time Congress end this questionable and unwise earmark process and back her bill.
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Derrick Fogle
3 months agoAccording to the Washington Post article that broke this information, there was a total of almost $465 Billion spent in self-enriching pork over the last 10 years. For the record, the Republican / Democratic breakdown is:
Republican self-enriching pork spending: $299,941,000 Democratic self-enriching pork spending: $164,861,000
Also, for the record, this amounts to less than 2% of total federal spending over that time.