Here's John McCain's big plan for the budget: make a whole lot of noise about eliminating of the piece of the budget pie representing earmarks (and remember that most earmarks simply mandate where monies will be spent, they don't create any new spending): All the recent controversy over McCain lying about Palin's earmark requests, as he did most recently on The View, is noteworthy for what is says about McCain's (lack of) character, but more generally it is misdirecting us from more important issues. Earmarks are only a minor part of the overall budget, and issues such as health care reform are much more important since rising health care costs will absolutely dwarf any savings from earmarks. |
McCain's earmark obsession doesn't really amount to squat in the grand scheme of things. It's just that "$3 million to study the DNA of bears in Montana" isn't much of a moving target -- it's easy to point out stuff like that and say that's the be-all and end-all of wasteful spending.
Meanwhile, we're pouring money down a rathole in some godforsaken desert and are on the verge of handing over a $700 billion reward for failure and stupidity.
Attacking one degree out of a 360 degree pie chart isn't going to do a damned thing, John. Nice try, though.
Meanwhile, we're pouring money down a rathole in some godforsaken desert and are on the verge of handing over a $700 billion reward for failure and stupidity.
Attacking one degree out of a 360 degree pie chart isn't going to do a damned thing, John. Nice try, though.
