McCain: Throw the book at earmark spending

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BY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com
317.637.9078 | Wednesday, July 02, 2008 | (10 comment(s))

INDIANAPOLIS | In the state capital to address the nation's sheriffs -- and raise cash for his presidential campaign -- Republican John McCain laid down the law Tuesday for purveyors of congressional pork.

The veteran senator from Arizona wooed the law-and-order crowd gathered at the 68th annual conference of the National Sheriffs' Association with a promise to eradicate spending, a position that puts him at odds with U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind.

"Earmark spending runs against the public interest in many ways and especially when public safety is in the balance," McCain said. "And that's why, as president, I will veto every bill with earmarks until the Congress stops sending bills with earmarks. It may take a while for Congress to adjust, but sooner or later they'll figure out that there's a new sheriff in town."

Visclosky, a 12-term congressman who consistently ranks among the House leaders in securing earmarks, fired back.

"McCain has had earmarks in the past, so it's somewhat hypocritical for him to adopt the policy of a complete ban on earmarks," Visclosky spokesman Jacob Ritvo said Tuesday. "Not all good ideas come from the (president's) administration, and in the past congressionally directed spending has led to a lot of good things."

Ritvo pointed to the Purdue University Technology Center in Merrillville, which opened in 2005, as one example in which a congressional earmark gave birth to a project that had not drawn attention from the "nameless, faceless" bureaucrats who make most funding decisions in Washington.

On Tuesday, Visclosky, chairman of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, announced funding for three energy research projects at Purdue University Calumet.

The Merrillville Democrat secured $113.6 million in earmarks during the 2008 budget year, good for seventh among the 435 members of the House, according to Citizens Against Government Waste, a watchdog group opposed to earmarks.

McCain, who was first elected to Congress in 1982, didn't single out any lawmakers in his remarks to the sheriffs association. He later attended an afternoon fundraiser for his presidential campaign.

Earlier in the day, McCain told the crowd of roughly 2,000 law enforcement officials he would push to boost funding to deport "thousands of felons" who illegally emigrated to this country. He also said he would commit greater federal support to drug and gang busting.

McCain, who is up against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, also lamented a 5-4 Supreme Court decision last week that ruled child rape is not a crime eligible for the death penalty.

McCain said the five justices "substituted their judgment for that of the people" by overturning the Louisiana case. He said as president, he would appoint judges who stick to a strict interpretation of the Constitution.

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Ned wrote on Jul 2, 2008 3:06 PM:

" Earmarks are the only reason Viscolsky keeps getting re-elected!!! Do away with them and you would have harder working elected officials with the average citizen in mind. A cleaner less corrupt political envirenment "

TOIntellegence or any other OBama Supporter wrote on Jul 2, 2008 3:03 PM:

" Your man wants to increase taxes...not a good idea when the economy is bad. He has proposed health care for everyone at a cost of about a trillion dollars...not good for the economy. He is not interested in drilling for oil anywhere...not good for the economy. The biggest cause for the recession and the bad economy is high oil prices. Oil prices would not be high if people listened to George Bush 8 years ago when he called for opening more areas for oil drilling. Obama has no plan!!!! "

Poor Pete wrote on Jul 2, 2008 12:19 PM:

" If McCain were to end ear marks, just what would Visklosky do in Washington? "

G Davis wrote on Jul 2, 2008 11:58 AM:

" Obama will destroy the economy? Isn't it already destroyed! And McCain is the guy who goes to Mexico and praises NAFTA. If Americans are that Brainwashed to elect somebody who will continue to install Bushes failed policies that are on the verge of leading this country to third world status, Go head put the final nail in. it is almost too late to turn this country around! "

To Taxpayer wrote on Jul 2, 2008 10:50 AM:

" Thats right!! McCain doing this will have no effect on anything. Its just not enough money to even bother with. He's just portraying this to say he will try to do something good that will have no effect on the economy. Just wants people to think it will and get here vote. Enough said. "

Intellegence wrote on Jul 2, 2008 10:45 AM:

" To: McCain has my vote.

Wow. You really have no idea what a Democrat is do you?? Voting for McCain to stay in office will only keep the economy screwed up as it is. You don't understand that? All our tax money is just goin to increase towards military and other items for his personal ineterests. YOU JUST DON'T GET IT DO YOU. YOUR VOTING FOR HIM JUST BECAUSE HE SAID HE WILL VETO ALL EARMARKS????? NOT TO BRIGHT ARE YA. CONGRESS CAN OVERTHROW A VETO. IGNORANCE. "

Sandbagged wrote on Jul 2, 2008 10:35 AM:

" Pete's the king of earmarks. Compare the list of companies that benefited from the Purdue Tech Center money and his top campaign contributors....pretty much the same. "

Taxpayer wrote on Jul 2, 2008 9:47 AM:

" Eradicating earmarks is fine but the most pressing financial issues are: 1) Department of Defense, 2) Medicare, 3) Interest on the national debt, 4) Social Security. Unless you tackle these, earmarks are insignificant. Write your senators and representatives and let them know you want to see financial sanity restored to the federal budget. The national debt is in excess of 9 trillion dollars (and growing by billions every day!) with interest on that debt at 3 or 4 hundred billion per year (about $1,000 per person every year). This is no different than running a HUGE credit card debt and needlessly paying all that interest every year. I don't stand for it in my household; we shouldn't tolerate it on the taxpayers' credit card. It's a shame. "

McCain has my vote wrote on Jul 2, 2008 9:40 AM:

" way better then the alternative - people need to wake up and understand how Nobama will destroy our economy, while we can agree things are not great right now, his plan to raise taxes will certainly not help and his foolish idea to raise the cap on social sec will turn it into a welfare program "

Wet Hen wrote on Jul 2, 2008 5:35 AM:

" Unless it will help one of his lobbyist friends "

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