Progress Illinois

When asked what he would do to lead the U.S. out of its financial crisis, John McCain fell back on his bete noir: earmarks. Calling them a "gateway drug" in the first presidential debate, McCain vowed to "veto every single spending bill that comes across my desk," if it contains just one pork barrel project. In what has become a constant refrain, he added: "I will make them famous. You will know their names."

Let's put aside the fact that earmarks had nothing at all to do with the mortgage meltdown, just as they had nothing to do with the Katrina disaster or the Minneapolis bridge collapse. McCain's claim that he will significantly cut spending by eliminating earmarks is simply hogwash. FactCheck.org issued this rejoinder back in May:

McCain seems to say that he can save $100 billion by cutting out earmarks. But budget experts say that cutting earmarks would actually save very little. And questioned more closely, McCain's campaign now says that his planned savings have nothing to do with eliminating earmarks.

For more perspective, check out this graph (via the The Plank) that shows the miniscule slice of federal spending devoted to earmarks:

More to the point, earmarks are not by definition evil. While they can fund corporate giveaways, earmarks also support libraries, police departments, schools and laboratories across the country. As Lindsay Beyerstein writes, "earmarked spending is only as wise or as wasteful as the project itself." That may be why legislators like Republican Ray LaHood aren't so keen on giving them up:

Lawmakers retiring from Congress at the end of the year are asking their colleagues to save their earmarks. [...]

One reason LaHood might not be worried is that he spoke with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who will be in a position to save LaHood’s earmarks next year.

“He said he would try to help with some of these projects,” LaHood said.

A spokesman for Durbin confirmed the conversation and praised LaHood for his 12 years of service on Capitol Hill.

“No one exemplifies the ability to set aside partisan differences in favor of Illinois’s priorities better than Congressman LaHood,” said Joe Shoemaker, Durbin’s communications director. “He and Sen. Durbin talk often and work together on dozens of Illinois projects every year — and those projects reflect the consensus and priorities of the entire Illinois congressional delegation.”

Because earmark abuse is a reality, reform and transparency is needed in the process. But if McCain thinks he can pass meaningful legislation and right our nation's economic ship by demagoguing on two percent of discretionary spending, he's nuts.

Check out more of our earmark coverage here and here.