Will Congress Follow Obama’s Earmark Pledge?

How does Obama plan on enforcing this pledge? He can't just veto every bill that includes even one earmark. Banishing earmarks for good? That will never happen...

http://www.political-buzz.com/

Good question. Whatdayouthink?

I believe that the president has what is called a 'line item veto' which he could use in the case of earmarks.
What is a shame is the 'so called' representatives OF THE PEOPLE can not abide by the rules. ANY person found breaking this rule should be reprimanded and removed from any committees he/she are on or any other special assignments.
This is unacceptable from anyone, democrat or republican.

LMAO, John Murtha will find a way to get his billions..

Will Congress Follow Obama’s Earmark Pledge? Seriously? The only thing it will achieve is to drive the earmarks into obscurity. That will be the outcome of this "Change". Instead of earmarking the cash, just hide it in complex language in the legislation and now the earmarks vanish from visibility! In Illinois politics this type of hidden pay to play rule of law is called "transparency" which is delivered though "change". Surely nobody really bought into all those promises as being honest! The good news is that by hiding the earmarks, we'll never have to worry about a Jack Abramoff scandal again. Nobody will be able to find the evidence going forward now. Can you smell the change in the air? Refreshing ain't it?

No more earmarks for Alaska ?

obama was the prince of earmarks.. now he wants to rein them in?

whatta arse!

" believe that the president has what is called a 'line item veto' which he could use in the case of earmarks.
"

just say no.

no line item veto for any president, no matter how much he thinks he's god.

the constitution gives spending power to congress , not the president.
if there is to be a line item veto,it needs to be by a contitutional admendment

Hey jc, Congress would NOT pass the legislation for the President to have a line item veto. Bush tried a few times, even his GOP Congress would not approve it. They ALL cry they want to cut spending, but they ALL also want to get re-elected. Even as a Democrat, this is where Congress should follow McCain's lead. Note, he's been able to get re-elected without earmarks.

How about Congress following Obama on Freezing their salaries for this year. It used to be that they had to vote on their raises, now it appears that it comes automatically -- shouldn't everyone be sacrificing -- especially on the dollar front. How much did they earn in 2008 and what would be the earnings in 2009.

This should get interesting. I support a line-item veto, but doubt they will ever pass it.

President Obama needs a line item veto just live governors of most states have. That weould enable him to get rid of earmarks.

Maybe we need to get citizens involved in this. It might be interesting to see how the voting public see this gambit. What do you think?

jc...Very well said!

paulet... Yea, Congress should voluntarily freeze their salaries as an incentive to get the rest of the country working again.

According to the government's own figures, earmarks represent less than 1% of government spending. You can see for yourself at the General Accounting Office website. Earmarks are a red herring to draw the taxpayer's attention from deficit spending which doubled the size and cost of our government in the last ten years alone. Of course, the exact figure is unknown because the system is so rife with waste and corruption that it is literally impossible to know where all the money is went. One factoid- back in 2001, Donald Rumsfeld announced that the Pentagon "could not account for" 2.1 trillion dollars. That was before the War on Terror. Does anyone think that military spending declined from that period? So ignore the earmarks, and seek the truth in the hand the magician does not show you.

I'd like to know exactly what earmarks are in this bill besides the two that have been mentioned and cut.

I think those campaign statements where made before the financial fall-out. There is an old business phrase "you got to spend money to make money". I'm not pleased with some of the stuff I hear in the package such as a all-terrain trail for 4 wheelers -- 4 wheelers seem to have more fun creating those trails on their own. I hope someone posts what kinds of items are in the package and the citizens can write their elected officials and demand they remove them. Yes, approving funds for an all terrain 4 wheeler will create jobs -- but that is short-term. Once the trail is created the owners are the ones that will have to provide upkeep.

In this hard time president is asking people to sacrifice but Congress is busy bickering and passing pork barrel earmarks and raises for them selves. Congress and the administration should be covered by the same social security and medicare like ordinary us ordinary people.
Their should be constitutional amendements regarding this two issues. No more earmarks and special coverage or pension system.