Dear Editor Clements,
Congress has developed a system called earmarks that individual legislators use to fund pet projects they believe would not be approved by the normal committee process. Most of these earmark bills are deemed desirable by voters in the sponsoring legislators district, but may not be in the country’s interest for a variety of reasons, the most serious being the effect on the federal budget and debt.
The process used is to attach the bills (earmarks) to legislation that is sure to pass because it funds the operation of government, i.e. defense, highways, social security, education and the like. In most cases that legislation comes up to be approved just before adjournment, and the piggy-back earmarks are passed in the process.
Congress knows this process is a subterfuge and not good business, but they also know that persons and special interests in their districts will give them credit and votes. The truth is, these legislators are using our tax money to buy votes, which certainly is unethical if not illegal.
Sincerely,
Ted Farmer
El Dorado
