This Year’s Earmarks
Written by Sam on February 15th, 2008Taxpayers for Common Sense has comprised a list of the amount of earmarks each member of Congress accumulated in this year’s spending bills. Obscene doesn’t even begin to describe the waste. GOP Congressmen Bill Young (FL-10) and Jerry Lewis (CA-41) were the worst offenders in the House with earmarks in excess of $100 million! The Senate was even more repulsive with four GOP Senators breaking the $100 million mark and going as high as almost $400 million! Those four Senators were Ted Stevens (AK), Thad Cochran (MS), Kit Bond (MO), Richard Shelby (AL).
The following legislators requested zero earmarks:
House
- John Boehner (R-OH-8)
- Paul Broun (R-GA-10)
- Eric Cantor (R-VA-7)
- Jeff Flake (R-AZ-6)
- Vito Fossella (R-NY-13)
- Jeb Hensarling (R-TX-5)
- John Kline (R-MN-2)
- John Shadegg (R-AZ-3)
- Lee Terry (R-NE-2)
Senate
- Tom Coburn (R-OK)
- Jim DeMint (R-SC)
- Russ Feingold (D-WI)
- John McCain (R-AZ)
- Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
You can view the total spreadsheet here.
15
PM
Are those really the only ones who requested no earmarks? Yikes.
I don’t really associate Feingold with fiscal conservatism- what’s the deal with him?
15
PM
Actually Feingold has generally been very good in that department.
16
AM
Yes, Feingold has been good in spending. But not tax cuts. His major liability however (the worst of all of them) is tying the patriot act to being anti-civil rights legislation (when it so obviously isn’t)
16
AM
Feingold is one of the few Democrats who are concerned about reckless spendng and corruption. Earmarks are examples of both.
18
AM
I’m pleasantly surprised to see my Congressman, Vito Fossella, on the list.
18
PM
Paul Broun, has really started to impress me. He makes all the right lists.