Transparency in earmarks
The federal earmarking practice stinks. But what makes this process even worse is the lack of required transparency... thus there's a certain inability on the part of voters to hold their elected officials accountable. Anyway...
While I don't like the earmark process, I wanted to give Chris Murphy credit for having disclosed his earmarks. Take a gander at his requested earmarks here.
Frankly though... at this point I'm really disappointed with this whole earmark process. I just learned that even Ron Paul requests earmarks (that he fully disclosed). To his credit though... the House Minority Leader, John Boehner (pronounced: bay-ner) did not request any earmarks this year. And as I understand it, he has never requested an earmark. So, he's got that going for him in my book.
Tim White
2 comments:
NYT on earmarks 8/5
"Far from causing embarrassment, the new transparency has raised the value of earmarks as a measure of members’ clout. Indeed, lawmakers have often competed to have their names attached to individual earmarks and rushed to put out press releases claiming credit for the money they bring home."
although
"To be sure, the Democratic totals are less than half the record set by Republicans when they controlled Congress in 2005, but they are far higher than the levels just 10 years ago."
I'm glad the process is now more open to public scrutiny, but we're still encouraging an aristocracy of pull. I'm not directing this to Chris Murphy, but the persuasive power of my vote is dwarfed by the support ($) those appropriations can bring in.
Anyhow, I dislike earmarks, but I love video:
6/26/07 Special Council Meeting Video
-csh
Quite a bit of change. A million here a million there, soon it adds up to some real money.
Sure can result in many of these organizations really loving you and leading to there support in future general elections.
Now, Pratt and Whitney for $20,000,000. This should not even be put on the list. This company has already gotten too much money from government. They make billions and break all the agreements to keep CT jobs. And, they have plenty of money to pay their CEO.
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