Earmarks. We have all heard that word. We all know what it means.
Earmarks are a form of government spending that has come under
scrutiny in recent time. They used to be called pork barrel spending,
but that name conjured visions of $500 hammers and $2,000 toilet
seats. So Congressional leaders felt that they had to change the name,
so along comes the term earmarks. Then that term acquires an ill
reputation, rightly so I might add. Then Congress in its almighty
wisdom changes the term that they use once more, this time to the
innocuous name discretionary spending. By any name it is still pork
barrel spending and it is bad business for a government to use this
system. Some consider it a form of bribery, I know that I do. I see it
as a way for Congressman to bribe their constituents to vote for them.

Labels: Bruce Braley