[OFB Cafe] The TRUTH about earmarks, and who does and who doesn't!!

[Fred A. Miller]

This Morning:

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-partisan watch
group dedicated to monitoring governmental fraud, waste, and abuse,
released the records of the three senators involved in the presidential
race.

The Council rated the candidates on the amount of earmarks they had
added to bills to rake in pork for their states and for the number of
times they voted on bills with earmarks in them.

Barak Obama - Obama requested $97.4 million in earmarks in '07 and voted
on earmarked legislation 53 times. His rating for '07 is 10% (out of a
possible 100% favorable rating) and his lifetime rating is 18%.

Joe Biden - He requested $119,7 million in earmarks and voted for 70
earmarked bills in '08 for a 0% rating, one of six in the Senate who
received this bottom rating. His lifetime rating is 18%. Only one other
Senator has a rating that low.

John McCain - McCain requested $0 in earmarks and voted for 0
legislation with earmarks on them in '08. In his 20 years in the Senate
he has never earmarked a piece of legislation. His lifetime rating is
88%, among the highest in the Senate.

The Council noted that a Senator may vote on a bill with earmarks
despite them instead of because of them.

-- 
"While addressing the [GOP convention], Sarah Palin criticized
Barack Obama for not having enough 'specifics.' Obama was
reportedly angry about the claim, but didn't say
exactly why." -Conan O'Brien