The Godfather of Earmarks RIP

Earmarks or the more infamous political jargon “pork barrel” spending has made for grandiose news stories about the failure of government and ardent speeches from lackluster candidates. Last month the godfather of earmarks passed away and “with him may have passed the Golden Age of the Earmark.” (Elving, March 16,2010) Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) slated Congressman John Murtha as one of the most corrupt politicians in Washington. Here’s a link to that listhttp://www.citizensforethics.org/files/Beyond%20Delay%20Full%20Report_0.pdf Murtha a democrat from Pennsylvania who has been accused of various sketchy earmarking such as various connections too defense contracting groups and promotions of self interests. Some giveMurtha credit for getting money to places that needed it like a failing airport but in reality if one looks at the long list of lets say interesting funding it causes one to think how is this good governance.

Murtha was called out on the floor by Rep. Jeff Flake for some of his intersting earmarks.

His death has posed a question how did earmarks come to be? Despite Harry Reid's claim that “"The FoundingFathers would be cringing to hear people talking about eliminating earmarks”. (Elving, March 16,2010) Earmarks while having some historically revelance have never been prominent like they are modernly. In 1817 President Madison rejected Bonus Bill by wisely saying "The legislative powers vested in Congress are specified and enumerated in the eighth section ofthe first article of the Constitution, and it does not appear that the power proposed to be exercised

by the bill is among the enumerated powers, or that it falls by any just interpretation with the

power to make laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution those or other powers

vested by the Constitution in the Government of the United States," (Pye, on March 28, 2008)

Earmarks have seen a significant rise over the years in 1970 the Defense Apporations Bill had a dozen earmarks by 2005 it had 2,671. Is it a clever means of legislation or just another benefit of the job of politician. Earmarks are about the only bipartisian thing in congress because members from both sides actively engage in the practice. Earmarks currently cost the tax payer $29 billion dollars. While things like Bridge to No Where are considred politically humourosus this is a significant amount of money that is being spent.

There are of course the absurd earmarks like

$50,000 for the National Mule and Packers Museum in California

$107,000 to study the sex life of the Japanese quail.

$2 million to construct an ancient Hawaiian canoe.

While there is cultural and historical relevance to these kind of projects perhaps why am I going into so much debt to get an education and working 4 days a week, while someone get 2 million dollars to build a canoe. It doesn’t seem fair.

Even Obama is not blameless in this he earmarked money for University of Chicago Medical Center

where his wife is employed.

The Seattle Times released an interesting list of $ 3.5 billion in mystery earmarks. Like $147.2 Million for ArmyJunior Reserve Officers' Training Corps these mystery earmarks have no viable programs that they are realted too. They are truly a mystery as to where the money is going.

Earmarks need reform and as it stands there doesn’t seem to be any real change that’s occurring.