Obama Won’t Fight Earmarks in Spending Bill
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack, CongressDemocrats in Congress have no intention of joining President Obama in his fight against earmarks. And it looks like Obama is going to give in, at least on the $410 billion spending bill which Obama will sign, despite copious earmarks.
Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group, identified almost 8,600 earmarks totaling $7.7 billion; Democrats say the number is $3.8 billion.
Either way, it is far more than Obama promised as a candidate. He refused earmarks for the economic stimulus package he championed and a children’s health bill.
He similarly pledged to reject tailored budget requests that let lawmakers send money to their home states. [Administration budget chief Peter] Orszag said Obama would move ahead and overlook the time-tested tradition that lets officials divert millions at a time to pet projects.
“We want to make sure that earmarks are reduced and they’re also transparent. We’re going to work with the Congress on a set of reforms to achieve those,” said Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The official excuse is that Obama’s real budget will go into effect this fall. This current spending bill is just a holdover from the Bush Administration. So, you know, blame Bush. Although he’s no longer in office. And his party is in the minority.
This is politics as usual. Obama is popular, his administration is barely out of the shrink wrap and, frankly, he owes a lot of the Congressional Democrats for helping him get elected. He’s going to let them have their earmarks now, when he’s still too popular and it’s still too early in the next election cycle for Republicans to gain much traction on the issue. Come fall, when the next spending bill comes up, look for Obama to take a harder stance on earmarks. Or develop a more eloquent excuse for allowing them.
Too bad Obama chose expediency over confrontation this time around. Putting his foot down now would have sent a crystal clear signal that he really does intend to change things.
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March 2nd, 2009 at 10:24 am
[...] Donklephant » Blog Archive » Obama Won’t Fight Earmarks in Spending Bill Alan Stewart Carl [...]
March 2nd, 2009 at 11:14 am
Unfortunately both parties felt the need to stick in a ton of earmarks (including Sen. Gregg which I thought was grand given his concern over spending). I think Obama needs to take a stand on this. Although the money in earmarks is small compared to the entire budget, it is the corrupting influence of those earmarks that is the big problem.
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I agree. I may be too idealistic, but I feel it’s a lost opportunity for him to differentiate himself from typical politicians.
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:36 am
I am an ardent Obama supporter, however, I have done some research and found the Top Ten Earmarks for Progressive Liberal Lefties. Check it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/warren-holstein/top-ten-earmarks-for-prog_b_170829.html
March 17th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Obama Won’t Fight Earmarks In Spending Bill…
Alan Stewart Carl, a moderate blogger, asks where’s the change you can believe in?: “Democrats in Congress have no intention of joining President Obama in his fight against earmarks. And it looks like Obama is going to give in, at least on the $410 b…