Number of earmarks decline, but still cost taxpayers billions
Members of Congress passed more than 9,100 earmarks valued at $16.5 billion for Fiscal Year 2010, according to the newly released 2010 Congressional Pig Book from Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).
That’s a 10.2 percent decline in the total number of earmarks – from 10,160 in Fiscal Year 2009 to 9,129 in Fiscal Year 2010, according to CAGW. There was also a 15.5 percent decrease in the total amount of taxpayers’ dollars that go toward pork-barrel spending – from $19.6 billion to $16.5 billion.
“Recent actions in the House to stop funding for-profit earmarks and the House Republican Caucus’ decision to not request earmarks, indicates that politicians from both parties recognize that taxpayers are enraged about the broken spending process in Washington,” CAGW president Tom Schatz said in a news release.
“They have noticed that it is popular to posture as an anti-earmarker,” he added. “Unfortunately, the 2010 Congressional Pig Book illustrates that most members of Congress still aren’t willing to eliminate the practice and why meaningful reform is necessary.”
Hawaii had the highest pork spending per capita, according to CAGW. Georgia ranked No. 45 in terms of pork spending per capita.
“Some justify pork barrel spending because it only represents a small fraction of the overall budget,” U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., said in a statement. “This failed logic is an example of the arrogance, ignorance and incompetence in Washington. Two wrongs do not equal a right, and a bloated budget is never an excuse to include more wasteful spending.
“As city, county, and state governments have been forced to make painful cutbacks to stay within their budget, it is time for Washington to do the same,” Broun added. “The first step to reduce spending is to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.”
