Earmarks

Has anybody noticed the sound of silence on the subject of “earmarks” from Republicans in the three months since the election? These are federal appropriations for projects in 435 Congressional districts, the lifeblood that keeps members of Congress in office.  It works this way. If your representative votes for an expenditure of questionable merit in Colorado you can be sure he’s getting the other fellow’s vote on something he wants at home.

A sudden end to earmarks would amount to a rash of de facto term limits. It is understandable why, as a substantial minority in the House of Representatives, Republicans found it an inviting target.  Now that they’re in the majority, the less heard about it the better.

Earmarks amount to only one percent of the budget. I’m curious as to the formality under which these terrible things are proposed. Does a Congressman say “I would like to present the following earmark suh?” Hardly! Like beauty, an earmark’s recognition is in the eye of the beholder.

Military or “Defense” facilities installed or maintained in a district have the same effect, although their financing is perennial. As I recall it the late Chalmers Johnson, after speaking favorably about the two Senators from the State of Washington said “at the mention of Boeing and they turn into fascist hyenas right before your eyes.”

Wikipedia defines earmark as “a legislative (especially Congressional) provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees.” I had no idea about the italicized (by me) part of the definition. Possibly the John McCain types don’t either, or just assume that the voters don’t.  If you start with the oil industry exemptions and subsidies and work your way through the pertinent part of our corporate structure my guess it we’re dealing with much more than one percent of the budget.

In this area neither of our major political parties have clean hands. Both have legislators for sale, although I admit to a firm conviction which party has the most. From several proverbs that fit here I choose the one about the pot calling the kettle black, my apologies to the kettle.