McConnell tepid on ending 'earmarks'
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said that banning lawmaker-directed spending projects known as "earmarks" from congressional legislation is more complicated than it appears but that he is willing to consider such a move.McConnell is not going to ban earmarks because they are the way Republicans can funnel money back home and say hey look at what I did for my state or district. Republicans have never been against big government, they're simply against any big government that does not make them richer and more powerful. The 2010 mid-term elections will allow them to continue that tradition.
McConnell said ending the common practice of slipping funding requests for home-state projects into legislation won't cut spending but will only limit the discretion of where to spend the vast federal budget.
Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina has said he wants to ban all lawmakers' requests for specific spending. President Obama has backed that idea.
McConnell said Republicans are ready to cut federal spending but banning earmarks is not a realistic way to do that. McConnell spoke Sunday on CBS' Face the Nation. — The Associated Press
