Republican Pork

Red States Gobble Up Omnibus Earmarks

(Earmarks can be requested individually, with other members of Congress or along with the president.)

Senate Democrats and Republican ate roughly the same amount from the government trough on a solo basis, although Democrats have one and half times as many members. Democratic members secured about $677 million in individual earmarks; Republicans brought home $669 million. Those solo figures, however, don't tell the entire story, because about six billion more was requested by groups of lawmakers.

... read the rest after the click.

My comment: A couple things that should be understood about "earmarks":

1.) Earmarks don't add money to a spending bill. They only direct how already allocated money will be spent and THAT MUST be decided ... somehow.

2.) Just because a spending project may be some Senator's or Congressman's "pet project" does not, in and of itself, make the project a bad thing. An 'earmark" for a Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska (a Republican earmark, incidentally) is wasteful spending. It would create short term jobs, but, in the final analysis, it would accomplish nothing productive in the long term. On the other hand, an earmark for a light commuter rail between Tuscon and Phoenix in Arizona - which could very easily be an earmark (I haven't checked, but it's been an issue out here for some time - and universally opposed by Republicans in Arizona) would a.) create short term jobs, b.) cut back on fuel consumption (green), and c.) reduce traffic on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix, one of the most dangerous stretches of Interstate in the country (public safety). All of that would be a good thing - unless you're an Arizona Republican. Both B and C have positive long term economic effects.

In order to judge an earmark, one must actually read it.