Earmarks revisited

A Republican Congressman from Texas talks about why McCain is wrong to want to eliminate earmarks:

"He wants the White House to control them," Culberson answered during the 90-minute session sponsored by his re-election campaign. "If the White House can stop Congress from telling the federal agencies how to spend money, they would love that because then what would happen is the Congress just gives a blank check to the Department of Agriculture, gives a blank check to the Department of the Treasury . . . . gives a blank check to all these other federal agencies.

"If you're the president you don't want a pesky congressman telling them how to spend that money. If you are the president wouldn't you rather have a blank check and spend it anyway you want?"

"That's a bad idea, you have to have checks and balances," Culberson added.

Back in May, the Washington Post's Fact Checker gave McCain four Pinocchio's for his claim that he could cut $100 billion in spending and balance the budget by eliminating earmarks.