Earmarks: Off the Mark?

State Sen. Gary Nodler, the latest addition to the congressional race here in the seventh district, said in his campaign kickoff last Thursday that the $25 million he secured this year for a battery manufacturer in Joplin was not an "earmark." He contends that monies appropriated during committee hearings, regardless of the purpose, are not earmarks. Needless to say, that definition is a hotly-contested one. According to today's Springfield News-Leader, his characterization is just not congruent with congressional or presidential definitions of earmarks. Nodler used the same justification for his appropriation that the Obama Administration and congressional democrats used to pass the federal stimulus bill in February - it would create jobs. His assertion could diminish his credibility with conservative voters in the district, especially on fiscal issues. He further pledged to seek earmarks through the committee process if elected to Congress. As a fellow candidate for the congressional office being vacated by Rep. Roy Blunt, my aim is to keep my campaign positive. Therefore, I will not openly criticize Nodler's logic. Nonetheless, I do want to clearly differentiate myself from him, as well as the other contenders currently in the race, on the issue of earmarks. Bottom line...I am opposed to earmarks by members of Congress in the federal budget process...period...end of story. The practice of earmarking, in large measure, has led our nation to amass an enormous national debt. Based on current projections, the federal debt could reach $20 trillion in the next eight years. This "country club" environment in Washington, D.C. has fostered an endless wave of quid pro quo wheeling-and-dealing throughout the U.S. Capitol. On any given day, I have no doubt you can hear the following diatribe being uttered numerous times, "Hey, I'll vote for your project if you'll vote for mine." We will NEVER get runaway government spending under control unless members of Congress STOP the practice of earmarking legislation. In fact, Congress should be cutting the president's budget, not inflating it. The federal budget should not be a Christmas tree, and members of Congress should not play Santa Claus with taxpayer money. Based on their own comments in today's News-Leader article, none of the other candidates in this congressional race would completely rule out earmarks in Congress. State Sen. Jack Goodman created a list of criteria, but did not specify who would make the ultimate decision about whether an earmark would meet his criteria - his office or the constituents. I make this pledge to the people of the seventh district - if elected to Congress, I will NEVER seek an earmark for a project. Furthermore, I will do everything within my power to eliminate earmarks altogether. If there's a project that warrants public support through a bond issue, competitive block grant, etc., I will provide accurate information and data to the district, enabling voters themselves to decide its fate. I would rather projects be funded and controlled by state and local entities, not federal appropriations. That's true fiscal conservatism in action.