Earmark claims political hypocrisy

During each of the presidential debates, Senator McCain made anti-earmark comments. “Earmarks” or “pork barrel spending” are spending measures inserted by members of Congress into bills that direct taxpayer dollars to their pet projects.

Targeting earmarks seems to be one of the centerpieces of his campaign. Yet, with all the anti-earmark talk, Arizona still ranks 21st. And he never mentions that Governor Palin, his running mate, just this year sent to Sen. Ted Stevens a proposal for 31 earmarks totaling $197 million, more dollars per person than any other state.

As a small-town mayor, she did not hesitate to embrace the federal earmark process by helping to secure almost $27 million in projects for her hometown of Wasilla. Some of these earmark projects even landed on McCain’s list of questionable pork barrel spending.

In light of these facts, McCain’s anti-earmark talk seems a bit hypocritical,

Ralph E. Stone

San Francisco, Calif.