Earmarks, Earmarks, Earmarks

You hear McCain talking about things called earmarks, but what are they? They are usually non related items tacked on to an important bill. The tacked on items tend to be things to pay off those who gave you money during your campaign, or things that will make you look good to your constituency. Seems to me that they are also a way for lawmakers to play catch-up on things they are behind on, like: "Oh crap, forgot about that issue. I promised to have it done last week, guess I'll just tack it onto this bill..." Since most people focus on the big issue the bill or law is designed for, these other tacked on earmark things never get noticed.

Here we are in this big financial "meltdown" mess, and the house and senate are still putting unrelated earmarks into a bill which is supposed to help with the US and global financial system. Here are a few earmarks on the bailout bill currently being discussed in the Senate. What an utter joke:

New Tax earmarks in Bailout bill
- Film and Television Productions (Sec. 502)
- Wooden Arrows designed for use by children (Sec. 503)
- 6 page package of earmarks for litigants in the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident, Alaska (Sec. 504)

Tax earmark “extenders” in the bailout bill.
- Virgin Island and Puerto Rican Rum (Section 308)
- American Samoa (Sec. 309)
- Mine Rescue Teams (Sec. 310)
- Mine Safety Equipment (Sec. 311)
- Domestic Production Activities in Puerto Rico (Sec. 312)
- Indian Tribes (Sec. 314, 315)
- Railroads (Sec. 316)
- Auto Racing Tracks (317)
- District of Columbia (Sec. 322)
- Wool Research (Sec. 325)

More discussion here.