tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post3878004870065430151..comments2023-09-11T08:58:24.710-06:00Comments on Reach Upward: "Washington is like 'the Godfather'"Scott Hinrichshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11831447472339880148noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10424035.post-11554399351961166152009-03-15T12:53:00.000-06:002009-03-15T12:53:00.000-06:00Two observations. In 2008, earmarks totaled $18 b...Two observations. In 2008, <A HREF="http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x1331527672/Our-Opinion-Focus-on-earmarks-is-a-waste" REL="nofollow">earmarks totaled $18 billion out of $1.2 trillion dollars</A> of expenditures. That's about 1.5% of the total. Seems to me they are getting a bit too much attention.<BR/><BR/>Second, let's look at the biggest way the federal budget is gamed - "defense" spending. Every new weapons system is carefully sub-contracted so that there are hundreds of jobs in all the key Congressional districts. When the Pentagon says it doesn't need any more fighters or helicopters or whatever, Congress puts the money back in the budget because if they don't, several hundred of their constituents will lose their jobs.<BR/><BR/>Seems to me that is the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars, but we don't hear much about it.Charles Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02975241234146573609noreply@blogger.com