Representative John Shadegg of Arizona, gunning for House Majority Leader, in today's Wall Street Journal:
We need sunshine in the earmark process, and an end to secret, backroom deals. According to Citizens Against Government Waste, the total number of earmarks in 2005 was nearly 14,000--compared with only 1,439 in 1995. Earmarked money is often spent without the oversight and consideration in the regular appropriations process, so waste, abuse or even fraud is more likely. Congress should base decisions on what is good for America, not what is good for the lobbyist friends of a few.
Time was, George Wallace could complain that there wasn't a dime's worth of difference between the two major parties. But 14,000 earmarks...now, that's a lot of dimes.
The piece continues, boilerplate, bilge, yadda yadda, until we get to the prize:
"I do not need a poll or questionnaire to tell me what Republicans stand for."
Not to worry, Mr. Shadegg. Nobody else does, either.
Posted by Craig Ceely at January 18, 2006 04:05 PM