Business As Usual

As a presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama criticized Congressional "earmarks"; he promised to reform the way Congressional bills are written.But.

As president, it was "crucial" for him to sign the $410 Billion bill - loaded with 8,816 earmarks worth $7.7 billion. 

 Taxpayers for Common Sense

BTW, this bill was largely written last year but was held back because President George W. Bush opposed it.

And, just so you know:

Notable among them (the earmarks) are $155.9 million worth of projects that six members of the Obama administration who were members of Congress last year, when the bill was originally written, inserted into the bill.

Top among them was Vice President Joe Biden. As a senator from Delaware, Biden added 56 earmarks that cost a total of $52.1 million, including $13.7 million for the Intracoastal Waterway from the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay and $190,000 to help build a children's museum in Wilmington;

— White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who as a House member from Illinois, added 16 earmarks worth about $8.3 million, including money for a Chicago planetarium and suburban children's museum.

— Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, formerly a Democratic senator from Colorado, $44.6 million;

— Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, formerly a Republican congressman from Illinois, $26.5 million;

— Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, formerly a Democratic House member from California, $15.5 million;

— Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, formerly a Democratic senator from New York, $6.7 million;

The White House has pledged to send legislation to Congress seeking the rescission of all earmarks sponsored by current members of the Obama administration.

Steven Thomma and David Lightman

I Hope the Change begins soon.

REAL SOON.