McCain's Fantasy War On Earmarks

John McCain boasts that he can save $100 billion a year "immediately" by eliminating the so-called earmarks that legislators attach to spending bills to finance pet projects, usually in their home state. But he has refused to say exactly which projects he would cut, and his estimates of the amount of money that is being spent on earmarks have been challenged by independent experts....

McCain's talk about eliminating $100 billion a year in earmarks is largely fantasy. His advisers are now promoting a more realistic plan of eliminating $100 billion in overall spending. But it is difficult to take even that promise very seriously given the fact that the senator refuses to identify exactly which projects he will be cut. To use a phrase coined by George H.W. Bush, this is "voodoo economics," based more on wishful thinking than on hard data or carefully considered policy proposals.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[KathyNicholas]

Clinton has taken Kentucky and Obama is right there in Oregon.
The Democratic race for nomination is still very much alive " and most likely to be decided by superdelegates " as CNN points out clearly

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/primary.wrap/index.html

If you"re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to LobbyDelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama

If you haven't done so yet, please write a message to each of your state's superdelegates at http://www.lobbydelegates.com

Obama Supporters:

Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It's that easy...

Clinton Supporters too ¦. !

It takes a moment, but what's a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?! Those are really worth !

Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It's that easy...

[BethStuart]

I recall Geoge Bush, Sr. originally used the term "voodoo economics" to refer to supply-side economics and the so-called "Laffer Curve." I'm not kidding, it's really called that. Unfortunately, George Bush, Jr. never understood what his father told him and embraced supply-side economics from day one.

It seems clear that McCain is also a believer in supply-side economics. We should expect more of the policies of George Bush if McCain is elected.

[MourningDude]

I'd rather have a President that will look for $100 billion in earmarks to cut, rather than one who will look for another $100 billion in earmarks to pass.

Obama has already said he will use "the Iraq money" to spend on new domestic projects. How much are we spending each year in Iraq, again?

That's a WHOLE LOTTA PORK!

[republiscum]

Mccain is delusional just like bush...REpublicans are ANTI MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS...check this link out>
http://therealmccain.com/?utm_source=rgemail

[rollingdivision]

None of the three presidential candidates are going to win any prizes for fiscal responsibility. Based on their voting records McCain is the least bad, followed by Clinton with Obama being the biggest deficit maker. When the Washington Post looked at the complete economic plans of each of the three they found McCain to be the least bad on the budget, but not good, followed by Clinton then Obama. "Altogether, then, they (Obama and Clinton) are talking about additional costs to the tune of a half-trillion (500 Billion) dollars per year, more (Obama) or less (Clinton). The total federal budget this year is about $2.9 trillion." "While both Democratic candidates would spend far more on new programs than Mr. McCain would, the Republican's proposals for new tax cuts dwarf the Democrats' plans. The Democrats are clearer than Mr. McCain -- though that's a relative term -- about how they would foot the bill. Still, no one's winning any awards this campaign season for fiscal responsibility."

[swift_goat_pet_for_truth]

$100 Bil in two years.

The third largest item on the Fed Budget is the INTEREST ONLY on the Fed debt, some $420 bil. or so in 2006. Of that, some $129 bil is due to Bush and McCain's GOP all by their lonesomes.

$129 bil in interest only for ONE year because of tax cuts for the rich that McCain wants to make permanent.

[PioneerKing]

MICHAEL:

It's about time you and your collegues at the Washington Post started acting like journalists.
Now how about shining some light on the reprehensible comments that McCain's baptist minister has made.
Also, while you are looking into things why don't you put those foundations in VA that McCain runs through the wash, they are awful dirty.

[donballz]

I see McCain's never having proposed an earmark as giant insult to his constiuencies in Arizona. Every US Senator in the government, looking out for the interests of their state, has gotten federal dollars to fund projects in their state. Except for McCain, who says thanks for the vote,see you in six years.

[TheKnownTruth]

This guy has been the biggest phony. Earmarks were not necessary in his case. He sold out with "quid pro quo" arrangements with his lobbyist friends. Much better deal than any earmarks could ever provide ......benefits go directly to him ....below the radar... Really good deal.

[Chillinout]

Can anyone say pander, pander, pander? I remember the term "voodoo economics" though I didn't know it came from Bush Sr. It was also called "trickle down" economics, which the Republicans still believe in. I don't know about you, but those Bush tax cuts to the very wealthy, doesn't seem to have trickled down to me yet.

Still waiting.....

[thecanadian]

Keep waiting

[Gemma08]

Duh!