by Frank James
Earmarks have almost become a dirty word in Washington, a synonym for the practice of lawmakers spending taxpayers' money on dubious projects meant to repay political contributors.
Of course, earmarks are like any other tool. In of themselves, they're morally neutral. They can be used by lawmakers, and mostly are, to direct federal spending to worthy projects in their districts.
But they can also be abused, and when they are, they cause scandals and make headlines.
National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" program had an interesting take on earmarks and the economic stimulus legislation being hammered out in Congress. Because there are no earmarks, the determinations on how to spend billions of dollars in federal dollars will be made entirely by state and local officials. Depending on where you live, that may be a scary thought.
This may work out well for Congress actually. After Americans see how their state and local officials spend taxpayers' hard-earned money, they may never complain again about members of Congress and earmarks. It could turn out to be the best image changer congressional earmarks could hope for.
Anyway, here's an excerpt from reporter Andrea Seabrook's piece:
When this bill passes, a Niagara Falls of money will flow out of Washington and into the accounts of state highway commissioners, governors and legislatures, local school boards, county executives -- even mayors, (the Brookings Institution's Sarah) Binder says.
"It raises a whole host of questions about how efficiently money can be spent, how effectively it will be spent, how quickly money can be spent, just because there's no set process here for determining how money will get out the door to create jobs or, as the president said, to save jobs," she says.
U.S. Rep. David Obey (D-WI), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, helped write the bill and says he doesn't like being asked about earmarks.
"We simply made a decision, which took about three seconds, not to have earmarks in the bill," he says. "And with all due respect, that's the least important question facing us on putting together this package."
This interview is worth listening to since the NPR's web story simply doesn't do justice to Seabrook's encounter with Obey.
The House Appropriations chair is about the most crotchety interview you're likely to hear this week and Seabrook did a great job of working with what he gave her. As for Obey, he sounds like the old guy in the corner house who takes pleasure in repeatedly telling the neighborhood kids to keep off his grass.
Comments
Do you mean that this isn't the most transparent bill ever proposed by the most transparent administration ever?!?
Nothing but corruption to follow this cash grab
Posted by: Pedro | February 6, 2009 4:06 PM
The official economic forecaster of the Dem Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, has just released a report saying the bill will HARM the economy in the long run. Not help. Harm.
Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 6, 2009 4:17 PM
You mean Daley and Quinn will get to sock all this free cash away in their olmypic fund while privatizing and thereby raising the fees for Midway, the Skyway, our parking meters and everything else that isn't tied down? Greeeeeeaaaat.
Posted by: Jeff | February 6, 2009 4:22 PM
Do you mean that this isn't the most transparent bill ever proposed by the most transparent administration ever?!?Nothing but corruption to follow this cash grab
Posted by: Pedro | February 6, 2009 4:06 PM
You mean like those billions that are still unaccounted for from the Repugs excellent adventure in Iraq?
Posted by: Juan Hernando | February 6, 2009 4:30 PM
Fact: National debt in 2000 was 5 trillion
Fact: National debt in 2008 was over 10 trillion
Fact: Republicans added basically a stimulus bill every year in office
Now they have "found" themselves???????????
Posted by: bill r. | February 6, 2009 5:04 PM
The official economic forecaster of the Dem Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, has just released a report saying the bill will HARM the economy in the long run. Not help. Harm.
Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 6, 2009 4:17 PM
Bruce, you need to quit OD'ing on Druggy Rush....
Posted by: Allardice | February 6, 2009 5:05 PM
..
Posted by: "Dissent is Patriotic" | February 6, 2009 4:17 PM
.
HAHAHA!
Hey RNC Brucie, you got anymore "hair on fire" reports from the Wingnut Moonie Washington Times, or is that the only propaganda they could produce today?
Posted by: civil war guy | February 6, 2009 5:16 PM
Insularity gets you where Republicans are today - An insignificant minority that has been thoroughly rejected by the American people. Because of Republican insularity, all they can do is block Democratic ideas. None of their ideas have the votes to become practical realities and they know it, which is why you see them all over the corporate media screaming like the petulant children that they are.
Also, Republicans now have to deal with Eric Holder as AG, Dawn Johnsen at OLC, Elena Kagan as SG, and the very real possibility of Deval Patrick, Charles Ogletree, or Kathleen Sullivan on SCOTUS....so let them cry. It's actually kind of fun to watch.
Posted by: Darla Kyler | February 6, 2009 5:49 PM
If the States and Local Goverment have a free hand, it will be one big waste, like the New Orleans
Posted by: Inky | February 6, 2009 7:08 PM
Still trying to figure out if the pain we are about to go through over the next 2 years as this country suffers under Democratic rule is worth the joy of smacking libs to the curb in 2010. Payback is going to be a b*tch boys and girls.
Posted by: scottiesrule | February 7, 2009 12:25 PM
Anytime you use the same methods to fix the same old problems that the methods your wanting to use caused you are doomed to failure. You DO NOT get out of debt by going future into debt.. I haven’t heard any one come out with a long range plan after trillions of dollars are wasted and they fine it didn’t help a thing. We’re living in a time of history alright, I hate to say it but I believe we are witnessing the beginning of the fall of the United States of America. Our political leaders are so busy hissing and spiting at each other that they can’t see what’s going on before their eyes. They are refusing to listen to their constituents.
Posted by: Tom B. | February 7, 2009 6:17 PM
The Paulson/Kash & Karry giveaway a/k/a TARP was not "transparent" either.
Barney, Nancy, Harry got rolled on that one too, didn't they?
Or did they?
Do you think Barney, Nancy & Harry just fell off the turnip truck?
They couldn't see giving this kind of $$$ to highroller glorified stockbrocker alumni of Goldman Sachs would not lead to $18 billion in bonus money to their buddies on Wall St.???
Well, the same folk are about to clear the way for giving it away to their counterparts, all those state and local officials.
Let's see, in Illinois, that would be the likes of George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich, any number of aldermen, EdVrydolyak......
This is just the state and local version of TARP.
The World According to TARP.
O, well. At least they're not thinking of giving another $800 billion to the Pentagon.
Or are they?
Posted by: ornery | February 8, 2009 9:24 AM
"....which is why you see them all over the corporate media screaming like the petulant children that they are."
Posted by: Darla Kyler | February 6, 2009 5:49 PM
Just like Republicans in Congress have very little credibility on critiquing wasteful spending and raising concerns over ballooning federal debt levels, so, too, you on the Left have absolutely no leg to stand on in criticizing anyone for acting like "petulant children." I will not accept that from anyone who ever used or laughed at the term "Chimpy" to describe a president of the United States, or who believes that it is the government's obligation to provide you with all the material goods you need in life, or whose mood, demeanor and outlook on life is determined by who is sitting in the White House at any given point in time.
Posted by: JB | February 12, 2009 2:37 PM