Silly Me: Opposition to Earmarks Is "Last Year's Business"

Well, I guess I need to learn the importance of "living in the now." Recently, I joined a chorus of people who criticized the inclusion of billions of dollars of earmarks in the proposed budget. Although politicians from both parties condemned earmarks during the 2008 election, politicians from both parties have fallen off the wagon and inserted nearly 9000 earmarks in the pending budget.

Today, the Obama administration responded to criticism surrounding the earmarks and to demands that he veto the budget unless Congress deletes them. Peter Orszag, the White House Budget Director says that the President will not cause a standoff over earmarks because the budget needs to get through Congress quickly: “This is last year’s business . . . We just need to move on.” White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (who sponsored several earmarks in the proposed budget) echoed Orszag's statement that the earmark-laden budget is "last year's" issue.

Even though he dismissed an invitation to squabble over "old" matters, Orszag indicated that the issue of earmarks could come up again (presumably once Congress has already passed the budget):

"We're going to be working with the Congress. We want to make sure that earmarks are reduced, and they're also transparent. We're going to work with the Congress on a set of reforms to achieve those . . . ."

O.k., then: Next issue!