The Obamanation

I just cant get as excited as McCain or some here about earmarks, which represent about 1% of the federal budget every year.

There are fewer in this omnibus bill than previous years and they are more transparent as a result of the Democratic earmark reform in '07.

I think Obama could have been more honest to simply suggest even greater transparency (ie requiring every member of Congress to publish and justify his/her earmarks on their respective website).

Then both parties could stop with the hypocrisy and admit that part of their role is to bring federal $$$ back to their respective communities.

All earmarks are not bad....many contribute to a valid and valued public function.

I recall Sarah Palin lashing out about an earmark for fruit fly research. On the superficial level, it sounds frivolous and wasteful.

I think it was during a speech where she focused on special ed needs and children with disabilities, from her own personal experience.

She might want to read this:

Fruit Fly Research Set To Revolutionize Study Of Birth Defects

A Queen's University study of fruit flies that may revolutionize the way birth defects are studied has identified the genes affected by a widely prescribed drug known to cause birth defects....

or

The discovery, made in Drosophila fruit flies may lead to advances in understanding autism spectrum disorders, as recently, human neurexins have been identified as a genetic risk factor for autism.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0905123832.htm

A couple $ million to a university for more fruit fly research to gain a even better understand to birth defects and/or autism? Sounds ok to me.