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Community Comment

Cutting earmarks…

David Horsey,davidhorsey.com,seattlepi.com
Horsey on Earmarks
David Horsey,davidhorsey.com,seattlepi.com Horsey on Earmarks

 

Good morning, Netizens...

 

In his contribution to edification, cartoonist David Horsey attempts to depict the quandary surrounding earmarks facing our national leadership, regardless of their political affiliation. Earmarks, those subtle, sometimes very costly additions tagged onto otherwise existing pieces of legislation, have been the political footballs of members of both Democrats and Republicans for decades. An otherwise innocuous piece of legislation that might not otherwise alarm taxpayers, seems a perfectly good place to hide other spending.

 

Every instance a new piece of legislation is submitted for House or Senate consideration, the first thought that crosses my addled mind is I immediately suspect the legislation has lots of earmarks tagged onto the bill thus perpetuating the myth of “good legislation”, for I no longer believe that any legislation put forth by either political party is worth the cost of the ink to print it; the cost of the earmarks alone are far too costly for our troubled national economy to bear. But on the other hand, earmarks are what get political candidates elected and re-elected, year after nauseous year. Political candidates have made certain promises to their constituents that they will add certain budgetary line items to legislation for popular local items, and no one is wiser for it. If they cannot muster enough votes to put a local issue on the House floor, simply find a way to write it onto an otherwise innocent-appearing bill and nobody is the wiser.

 

What to do, what to do...

 

As of this morning, I have spoken with my omnipresent Sage, Arnold the Cat, regarding how best to deal with this issue of earmarks, simply because neither National Party has been able to keep their itching little fingers out of the pie. What is even more troublesome is that at this point in American history, we can ill afford to spend another penny of taxpayer's money; we are broke, or nearly so, and only a tight-fisted approach to our national budget will keep us off the economic rocks. Even a blonde hued feline house cat with little interest in national politics knows that much.

 

It is also readily apparent that neither Republicans nor Democrats can agree on where to cut earmarks. We have to fix our national budget! Of course, your results may differ.

 

Dave



Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.