It's about Getting Our Own House in Order

Senator Inhofe is one of the best we've got, but he's just wrong on earmarks, for the reasons laid out by Senator Coburn and Representative Flake. To their arguments, I would just add one small point: Proponents of reform will readily concede that earmarks direct rather than add spending. But that is the problem: As long as powerful appropriators are getting to direct their share, they are less concerned with the overall size of the spending package. I think it's fairly hard to dispute that point. The number of congressional earmarks doubled between 2001 and 2005, coinciding exactly with the years
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