US President Barack Obama called for measures to limit earmarks and he sees the issue as something that could make Democrats and Republicans find common ground when it comes to curbing public spending.
Republicans replied without delay, saying they will vote in favor of a ban on pet-projects next week, and they will maintain their position when the new Congress convenes in January. They called on the President to start vetoing any bills that might direct public funds to such projects.
The play against earmarks is part of Obama’s commitment to enforce fiscal restraint aimed at limiting or removing the old practice that allows lawmakers to assign public funds to special projects.
The efforts to narrow the use of earmarks have encountered political resistance. Although they account for some 16 billion dollars in federal spending, representing less than 1 percent of the federal budget, Obama thinks that tackling the issue would signal “commitment to fiscal responsibility”. While the earmark spending is small by comparison to other expenses, Obama agrees with both Democrat and Republican camps that, given the economic situation, earmarks can no longer be afforded.
Republican leaders have named earmarks to be “symbols of a dysfunctional Congress” and they urged Democrats to vote in favor of a ban as well. In their statement they said that President Barack Obama could prove immediately his commitment to reducing wasteful public spending by just vouching to veto any such project for what remains of this year and in 2011 as well.
