McCain's anti-Earmark and pork record

Ian and I are from Chicago. Chicago is infamous for its corruption and Cook County and Illinois have their own issues. Being from a city, county and state wrought with such government largess and waste, why would I settle for someone who will do nothing to stop it at the federal level? And why should you? Obama is a product of the Chicago machine. Thus apt embody many similar aspects as other Chicago politicians. One thing is for sure, he wants to play fast and loose with taxpayer money. Something Congressmen and Senators utilize to dole out money to their constituencies is earmarking. Earmarks are attachments to federal spending bills that are inserted after all debate has concluded and can be added anonymously. John McCain has attacked waste and has been against earmarks and pork barrel spending from his early days in Congress and maintains this stance today. He promises to use the power of his pen to veto any bill that contains earmarks. He boldly states on his website: "as President, John McCain would shine the disinfecting light of public scrutiny on those who abuse the public purse, use the power of the presidency to restore fiscal responsibility, and exercise the veto pen to enforce it" (). Obama makes no such claim to veto earmarked legislation. As a matter of fact, Obama had a long list of pet projects for the fiscal year 2006-2007. In the Fiscal Year 2008, so far, Obama has had 112 projects that totaled $330 million dollars. McCain as had 0 projects totaling, you guessed it, $0 dollars. He is one of only five Senators to do so. If you want someone who will reign in spending and restore fiscal discipline to our federal government, McCain's your man.

Here is the link to the list:


Barack Obama earmark requests

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/15/obama.earmarks/

-Eric