Here's a summary...

House GOP leaders have instituted a moratorium on earmarks -- pork barrel spending -- tucked into legislation and asked their Democrat colleagues to join them. The Democrat leadership refused. Minority leader John Boehner launched a website to fight for earmark reform in the House. Now the Democrats want it shut down.

From the NYT article: The White House says Congress earmarked nearly $17 billion for more than 11,700 projects in the current fiscal year. About 40 percent of the money was for items requested by Republicans.

The following chart shows the earmark spending of the three remaining presidential candidates in FY08. Some people say there's no difference between the parties or between the candidates.

I beg to differ. The two Democrats have out-porked the Republican by almost a half BILLION dollars. That's a big difference.

Comments:

You have to be joking. There were far FAR more earmarks during the Republican congress. Take a look at the appropriation bills for military and defense, and notice the JUMP during 2002-2005. Its Ghastly...

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu96Xgt5H02IAwXNXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyaDh2dTM4BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNgRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0RGRDVfNzI-/SIG=11vqljm6r/EXP=1205851159/**http%3a//www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/m012606.pdf

Yea, didn't hear McCain squealing that loud then..

What ever happen to Nancy Pelosi,she was so gung-ho and fizzeled
out.They are all phony.like I said before,when they open their
mouth they are lying.

Oink.