Earmarks My Eye

I've grown so sick of hearing people (mostly Republicans) whine and cry and stamp their feet about earmarks that I can hardly stand the word anymore. Earmarks are the new Lobbyists, a catch-all word that's become code for all the other side's political evildoing.

But, like lobbyists, all earmarks are not bad. Every person who complains about them has them inserted into bill after bill by the rep or senator for whom they voted. No matter who you are. And, most likely, you're in favor of the things the earmarks brought or would bring to your state.

As Obama's critics continue use earmarks as their most common artillery, it's worth looking at who's doing the earmarking. Slate provides such a service today. Here are the top 10:

1. Thad Cochran, R-Miss.: $474 million
2. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.: $391 million
3. Mary Landrieu, D-La.: $332 million
4. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa: $292 million
5. David Vitter, R-La.: $249 million
6. Christopher Bond, R-Mo.: $248 million
7. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.: $235 million
8. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii: $225 million
9. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.: $219 million
10. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa: $199 million

Notice anything? Maybe that 6 of the top 10 are Republicans? And that the top 2, who dwarf everyone else, are Republicans?

And that's not even the best stuff. How about the hypocrisy of righties like Mitch McConnell: After inserting $76 million of his own earmarks, he voted against the bill because it spent too many taxpayer dollars. WTF? And Vitter and Grassley, both on the list above, followed suit, voting against the bill they helped inflate.

So, enough with the talking points. Enough ignorant railing against the evil earmark. Pay attention to what your reps are doing, look a little deeper (like, beyond the word "earmark") and see what the money's for, and maybe, just maybe, try understanding that this is no normal budget or spending bill for no normal time. We're taking drastic measures because the Republican administration of the past 8 years screwed us so badly that we have to.

Every administration needs opposition, even very vocal opposition. But educate yourself first. Otherwise, you're just Rush Limbaugh.