Stop earmarks now

By Oscar Y. Harward

Throughout Primary and General Election year 2010, many candidates for election and re-election heard one strong message, “Stop the spending”. Conservatives, primarily Republican Party candidates, responded declaring that if elected they would vow to stop the out-of-control spending and reduce the $13.7 billion national debt. The American electorate granted the GOP with near record number of victories in the US Senate, US Congress, Governorships, and state General Assemblies.

One of the shouts from the 2010 Election voters is to “stop the spending”, and “stop funding” of “earmarks”. “Earmarks” are mere instruments for elected members in government to award individuals, local organizations and/or other governments with taxpayers’ money in return for their support/votes for re-election(s). Frequently, in all major communities, we see and/or hear where some local private and/or public groups and/or organizations are receiving “grants” from government. These grants are taxpayers’ funds. It should not matter whether these grants are going to private or public, political, or agricultural, we must cut our government spending and “reduce” our national debt.

Another area of funding “earmarks” happens when the Pentagon is pressed to purchase unwanted and outdated military equipment at taxpayers’ expense. The effected Senator or Congressman knows that to cancel the jets, tanks, trucks, etc. may damage the economy in his/her state or congressional district. An “earmark” is placed to protect his or her political territory rather than making a professional decision to reduce wasteful spending and improve our US military.

Currently, our US Debt exceeds $13.6 trillion and growing larger. Now it appears even some of the older elected members of the GOP just do not get it. Stopping “earmarks” means to stop funding “earmarks” now. “Legislate” and eliminate the funding of all “Earmarks”.

What is happening to Republican Party Senate Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)? Senator McConnell now wants to continue the funding of “earmarks”. Had I not seen the words coming from Sen. McConnell’s own lips, I could have believed the words that could come from Democrat Party Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) says stopping the funding of “earmarks” would make no differences in the budget. Furthermore, Sen. Inhofe said to stop “earmarks” would turn the budgetary matters over to President Obama. Sen. Inhofe, what you said on this matter is pure “bull”. Senators, some of us may have fallen off of a truck, but we did not fall off a truck yesterday. Do not even try to misuse your words in any effort to confuse Americans’ minds on “earmarks”. Had I not seen the words coming from Sen. Inhofe’s own lips, I could have believed the words came from Democrat Party President, Barack Obama.

Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), John Ensign (R-NV), Mike Enzi (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Richard Burr (R-NC), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Bob Corker (R-TN) and other members in the Senate are trying to control out-of-control spending just by starting to “stop the spending” by ending the funding of “earmarks”. We need more Senators to stop the “earmarks”.

Elected members in government offices must declare that to protect our great nation and our precious Constitution, all healthy individuals and all state, county, municipal governments must become more self-supporting rather than depending on government(s) for more support. Governments must fund and protect our US Military and our Constitutional freedoms, help the disabled, the sick, the elderly, and other “legal citizens” who have fallen through the cracks.

In 1994, the American electorate called on the GOP to curb spending, reduce taxes, create jobs, etc. A majority Republican Party in the US Senate and Congress was (re)elected. Some few years later, the GOP was back to excessive spending of the budget. Americans gave the majority members back to the Democrat Party. This 2010 Election year, the American electorate, again, responded to the cry of “stop the spending”. Will the GOP respond?

American voters have given the GOP an opportunity to prove that they can stop the spending, reduce taxes, create jobs, and restore Constitutional freedoms. There are many areas in the US Budget to cut the spending. The US Senate and Congress must reduce the national debt to save our nation for our children, their children, etc. To stop funding “earmarks” is a start of spending control.