THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR IN FOURTEEN YEARS CONTROLED BY THE DEMOCRATES , WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT NOW

Waste of tax-payers money should always be an issue- not least if the present majority entered Congress pledging to 'clean the place up'.

It would be nice to have some context here to compare with other years -- say, the past 12.

Measured by the number of earmarks, or by their total dollar value, the total this year is far less than the last few, which set records under the GOP after escalating steadily since the mid-1990s.

The grotesque scale of the earmark plague that has made the issue subject to this new scrutiny was a creation of the GOP's One Party Rule.

Every politician, regardless of party affiliation, is a master of pork projects. How else would they get re-elected? A great case for term limits.

Pork IS a good argument for term limits, but also much more, as simply reforming term limit regulations won't tear down the extensive corruption networks throughout D.C.
ONE YEAR is the current "wait" time for our professional politicians who cash out in a lobbying firm. In practive, that means 6 months vacation time and 6 months active lining up of "friends" in Congress who will do their bidding - for money.

The professional politicians career path of A)state office to B)federal office to C)Congressional committee appointments (where the big money is controlled) to D) cashing out at a lobbying firm has to be stopped in order for the mafia-like corruption rackets to be dismantled, and that will take a LOT of regulation.

Just as the campaign finance reform regulations have had to be revisited again and again as the lobbyists/politicians pay lawyers big BIG money to find new ways through the loopholes, government corruption will require vigilance to be effective.

made in america us savings bonds for my grandchildrens christmas presents

A pessimist might ask: In the last two thousand years has there been a govenment without corruption? The best we can hope for is that there is enough left over after the corrupt have taken their loot that the quality of life of the average citizen continues to rise.
An optimist might say: We need to establish requirements necessary to run for elective office. Then we must establish appropriate procedures to make certain those requirements are met before anyone gets on a ballot. Proven violations after election of the moral requirements of the office lead to immediate forfeiture of the poition.

Earmarks for re-election, what a novel Idea. The one asking for the money has only altruistic thoughts. After all it his money. We the people should get something for our taxes. The problem you see is that both sides have their view of their rightness in the asking.

What some of you apparently fail to grasp is that pork projects are our tax dollars being funneled to special interest groups. Pork projects are unrequested, unneeded and take money away from priority issues like Education, Health Care and Social Security. Both parties are equally guilty and both parties and their members should get a whipping by the voters. Sadly, that won't happen because of voter apathy.

I would prefer that you refer to these earmarks as "domestic aide". How is it that any project that does something for America is considered pork??

If you would give up some of the "PORK" earmarks you just might have enough money for the defense budget. And, as I've said before, "FUND OUR TROOPS UNTILL YOU BRING THEM HOME." You folks seem to always get things backwards. "AS LONG AS ARMED FORCES ARE IN HARMS WAY THEY MUST BE SUPPORTED!" See if you can for once get things in the right order. Did you ever consider that without our "defenses" you might not have anything to spend you earmark "PORK" on? Learn to PRIORITIZE!!!!

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So much for Pelosi draining the swamp. She got as far as Swamp Thing Murtha and realized that the swamp was home.

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It seems like Senator Tom Coburn R-Ok is a one man
force trying to clean up Congressional Pork. Murtha
is, on the other hand, the
biggest promoter. There is
no sensible reason that all
these special requests should
be required to be disconnected
to any other piece of legislation. The majority party
should be required to submit
ammendments several days in advance rather than just hours
before calling for the vote. As
it is minority members do not have sufficient time to peruse
bill some of which are hundreds of pages in length.
Murtha has no right to demand a
vote his way from a new member
threatening him with no pork if
he doesn't vote the right way
with Murtha.

Yes, we will destroy ourselfs from with-in.

I am definitely in favor of term limits The President can serve only two terms, but Senators (example) can be in the Senate for 40+ years. Outrageous! The resulting power cannot even be realized. We will never have term limits since the abusers are too powerful and will never assent. To get new ideas, we need new representatives. On the other hand, Representatives are handicapped with two-year terms -- one year of which is devoted to campaigning for re-election. Senators serve for 6-years --why not 4 years for Congressmen?

When the next batch of elections come about, the public should insist on a careful research into the amount of pork that a candidate sponsored and what connections the recipients of the pork have to the politician; that is, the amt of money the recipient of the pork contributed to the politician's campaign.

The League of Women Voters is the perfect org to lead this kind of research. Then, my firends, you would see a huge squirm and hear a bit of mousey justification, and you'd have your automatic term limit.

Why not 3 years for House Members with one third coming up for election every three years. 5 term limit would apply. A 4 year term for Senators with a 5 term limit. This would ensure new blood but also not have them replaced so often you don't have some experience folks around.

Just curtail Ted Stevens' dole out to his good 'ol boy network and save MUCH MORE than 212 million.

IT IS FAR TOO EASY TO SPEND OTHER PEOPLES MONEY IN DC. AND EARMARKS ARE THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM.

THE PROCESS OF HOW THEY ORIGINATE THROUGH LOBBYING AND ARE DIRECTED BACK TO SELECTED CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AS POLITICAL PAY BACKS COULD NOT BE ANY LESS LOGICAL, ETHICAL OR MORAL. BUT THAT IS NOT NEW NEWS!! THAT IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN THE SYSTEM.

MOST DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS PARTICIPATE. AND THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORST; MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE LAST 6 YEARS.

FEDERAL MONEY (OTHER PEOPLES MONEY) SHOULD ONLY BE APPROPRIATED AND SPENT THROUGH A COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT AND COMPETITIVE PROCESS. SOME FEDERAL PROGRAMS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED AND ACHIEVED SUCH PROCESSES FOR ALLOCATING FEDERAL MONEY. JUST NOT CONGRESS! THE QUESTION IS WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DEMAND THAT THEY DO? REMEMBER IT STARTS AS YOUR MONEY. AND THEY CLEARLY LIKE TO SPENT IT!

WE DESERVE MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR MONEY, HOPEFULLY A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WILL BANNER THIS ISSUE, GET ELECTED AND DEMAND THAT THE PROCESS IS CHANGED.

I feel that any senator or congressman who allows this "pork" to continue is a thief and should be jailed. Instead the crooks get reelected. PEOPLE ARE DISSATISFIED BUT UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. (WE ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THIS. EVEN SOME OF THE BETTER CONGRESSMEN ARE TO BLAME ALSO. THEN YOU HAVE THE KENNEDY.

Excellent response.Bravo.