Democrats to Eliminate Earmarks - Will Moran & Webb Go After One for the Silver Line?
As a fiscal conservative, I applaud the announcement by the new Democratic leadership in Congress to strip earmarks from the appropriations bills. As one who has lived in this area and dealt with the federal government for many years, I strongly suspect that this new anti-pork barrel "religion" will soon be dropped by the Democrats, just as it was by the Republicans. But I'll cheer any attempt to eliminate earmarks.
My big question is: Whether Congressman Jim Moran (D) and Senator-elect Jim Webb (D) soon be seeking an earmark for the Silver Line? Will they be true to principles of reform or heed the call of lobbyists and local government rummies for pork? As we know, earmarks are end-runs on a government system of checks and balances. We pay taxes and fees for transportation, but then expect the executive branch to apply standards set by the legislative branch to determine which specific projects are funded and which fall by the wayside. A decision not supported by facts should be subject to judicial review. Earmarks toss out the standards and fund projects based on successful lobbying. Earmarks damage citizen trust in government.
It's clear from Governor Kaine's decision not to support a tunnel for the Silver Line -- something that otherwise makes good sense -- that it is questionable whether the entire project will pass the federal government's cost/benefit test. Those old government standards again. The project may be so costly that the addition of a tunnel might well result in no funding from the federal government. In that event, the Silver Line's sponsors could forgo $900 M from the feds, make changes to reduce the costs (such as moving the line back to the Toll Road median where it was originally proposed), or try to get an earmark.
The recent election reduced Frank Wolf (R), Tom Davis (R), and John Warner (R) to minority party status. It elevated the Democrats, including Moran and newcomer Webb, to majority control. Thus, if the earmark-pork barrel approach is to be taken, it will be done by Democrats. Thus, the question is: whether Moran and Webb are really reformists or whether they too are earmark politicians?
My big question is: Whether Congressman Jim Moran (D) and Senator-elect Jim Webb (D) soon be seeking an earmark for the Silver Line? Will they be true to principles of reform or heed the call of lobbyists and local government rummies for pork? As we know, earmarks are end-runs on a government system of checks and balances. We pay taxes and fees for transportation, but then expect the executive branch to apply standards set by the legislative branch to determine which specific projects are funded and which fall by the wayside. A decision not supported by facts should be subject to judicial review. Earmarks toss out the standards and fund projects based on successful lobbying. Earmarks damage citizen trust in government.
It's clear from Governor Kaine's decision not to support a tunnel for the Silver Line -- something that otherwise makes good sense -- that it is questionable whether the entire project will pass the federal government's cost/benefit test. Those old government standards again. The project may be so costly that the addition of a tunnel might well result in no funding from the federal government. In that event, the Silver Line's sponsors could forgo $900 M from the feds, make changes to reduce the costs (such as moving the line back to the Toll Road median where it was originally proposed), or try to get an earmark.
The recent election reduced Frank Wolf (R), Tom Davis (R), and John Warner (R) to minority party status. It elevated the Democrats, including Moran and newcomer Webb, to majority control. Thus, if the earmark-pork barrel approach is to be taken, it will be done by Democrats. Thus, the question is: whether Moran and Webb are really reformists or whether they too are earmark politicians?
posted by Toomanytaxes at 7:06 AM
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