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hollywoodveg
March 13th, 2009, 07:35 PM
Republican Earmarks Taint Spending Criticism
While Republicans criticize President Obama for not sticking to a campaign promise to rid government of wasteful spending, the GOP itself is finding trouble getting back to the kind of fiscal discipline its members say disappeared over the last several years they controlled Congress.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/realclearpolitics/republican_earmarks_pork
Amira
March 13th, 2009, 07:53 PM
I heard the total earmarks make up 2% of the budget. Is that the normal percentage for earmarks in the past?
Red
March 14th, 2009, 12:30 AM
I heard the total earmarks make up 2% of the budget. Is that the normal percentage for earmarks in the past?

In the past it's been between <1% and 2% of total Federal spending. You could eliminate all earmarks tomorrow and it wouldn't make any noticeable difference.
Beancounter
March 14th, 2009, 07:17 AM
In the past it's been between <1% and 2% of total Federal spending. You could eliminate all earmarks tomorrow and it wouldn't make any noticeable difference.

It may be immaterial, but wasteful spending is wasteful spending.

Wasteful spending is not fiscally responsible or conservative.
hollywoodveg
March 14th, 2009, 12:52 PM
Bad earmarks are wasteful, not good ones...
Beancounter
March 14th, 2009, 01:25 PM
Bad earmarks are wasteful, not good ones...

I agree.

Now who is going to decide what constitutes a good earmark?
Red
March 14th, 2009, 03:09 PM
I agree.

Now who is going to decide what constitutes a good earmark?

The same people that make that decision about the other 99% of the spending?
Beancounter
March 14th, 2009, 03:23 PM
The same people that make that decision about the other 99% of the spending?

What I meant, was that would turn into a huge partisan fight that would never be resolved.
Red
March 14th, 2009, 06:48 PM
What I meant, was that would turn into a huge partisan fight that would never be resolved.

I think in practice, often it's just the opposite - they can be bargaining chips between opposing sides that eventually leads to compromise, rather than a winner-takes-all mentality. Sort of a "If you won't oppose us on this bill, we won't oppose you on your community project".