Obama Wants More Light Shed on 'Earmarks' But GOP Would Flat-out Ban Practice

To bad he didn't want to do this BEFORE he passed that $787 BILLION spending bill that did NOTHING but put the US taxpayer further in debt$$$

Earmarks: A corrupt political system based on buying votes, dispensing favors, and increasing central government's authority using money borrowed from the people's grandchildren.

$4,319,473,520 - losses in duties from 2000-2008 that would have been collected but for the free trade rules in place. It makes a difference doesn't it. Why not add 8% across the board on goods from foreign countries, level the playing field.

Alot of these earmarks are stuffed into major legislation disguised as part of the bill, thereby, making it easier to get votes for the bill. Congresspersons and senators have a personal stake in the bill if it contains earmarks and it guarantees it's passage even though they may have once been opposed to it. So, eliminating earmarks, I think, is getting on the right track and will show the American people which congresspeople or senator has character, because it will make them accountable to their principles instead of a guarantee for a goody for a vote.

Why ban minor earmarks.....but allow $700 billion deficit increase. Sounds like a shell game to me. We are on to their tax cuts for the wealthy 2%.

Yes, more light on earmarks (bribes). $10 billion in earmarks (your hardearned taxes) for healthcare votes. $300 million for Landrieu, $100 million for dodd, $2 billion for Vt and MA, Nebraska kickbacks) etc.

Both parties have lost their way. Let's hope the last election helps both find their way again. Less federal government. Smaller federal government. Cut what is not necessary. The federal government should only do what states, counties, cities cannot do for themselves. National defense. Monetry policy. Infrastructure like interstate highways and energy. Foreign policy. The rest including education should fall to the states and local governing bodies who are closer to the people. Less waste. More efficiency. Centralization always loses touch and corrupts because the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.

Federal tax money should be used to run the national government, not to buy votes with taxpayer's money. Good local projects are a great idea-- let the locals pay for them out of local taxes. Line item veto? Hello King George.

"We need earmark reform . And when I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely." Another broken campaign promise...

The concept of "earmarks" (aka PORK) has been around for years. Both Democrats and Republicans are guilty of spending our money on worthless projects, the "Bridge to Nowhere" being just one example. Earmarks are just another reason to institute a line item veto for any President.