Wardell Scolds Others On Earmark Pledge

Nov. 21, 2009 - PRLog -- “When I announced my candidacy, I said that a few of my opponents seemed too eager to throw red meat to the conservative base in knee jerk fashion, and once again my opponents are tossing it like a Roman Plebeians throwing bread at the hippodrome.
Billy Long and others have recently signed the Freedom Works Earmarks Pledge, or have made a similar political promise. I support Freedom Works and the idea behind the Earmark Pledge, but I believe the language “no earmarks” is too broad. The reality is that not all earmarks are pork.”

Contrary to popular belief, earmarks do not increase government spending and my opponents should know better. However they seem to want to disregard the Founders intent and the powers that Congress is enumerated with. Congress has the explicit power to direct existing spending for a specific purpose. Since earmarks are a mere 2 percent of the federal budget, it makes more sense to focus on eliminating the waste and inefficiencies in entitlement spending, which comprises more than 30 percent of the federal budget. Simply put, we have bigger fish to fry.” “I want to eradicate pork-laden pet projects, but the earmark by itself is not the problem, only a symptom, the disease is the growing size of the federal budget. Let’s also not forget, most earmarks are generated by requests from the constituency, local officials, and communities. Eliminating earmarks would limit the taxpayers’ ability to pressure the way the federal government spends our money in our district. It would also eliminate any money coming back to the district, leaving it all in D.C. Not a rosy proposition.”

“We shouldn’t spend $211,509 for olive fruit fly research to be performed not in the USA, but in Paris, France for example; but spending money for Corneal Wound Repair, tissue repair and burn treatments, and improvements to the Route 60 Bridges over the James River is money well spent.

But based on my opponents’ statements, their core belief is that helping our Vets that have sustained eye injuries from battle and burns from combat are unworthy of help or ensuring THE vital link from the Springfield area to Branson is maintained is unnecessary.
Earmarking must be transparent so the people of the 7th can determine if their elected officials are good stewards of the money that is sent to D.C. but it should not lead to this hysteria over earmarks to justify the erosion our constitutional authority to control the federal budget through our Congressmen & woman, Senators, and President.

“It’s easy to be a glib grand stander on hot-button issues when you’re a candidate for Congress. It’s another matter altogether when you’re actually in Congress working within the framework of our constitutional system. Members of Congress have the option to submit an amendment to remove an earmark from a particular bill for a documented up or down vote. So let’s dispense with the hyperbole, let’s get real.”

Michael Wardell is a medically retired 17-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, serving in Japan and Africa with the Department of State. Wardell is married with two children.

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Michael Wardell is a retired and disabled US Marine Vet. who is running for US Congress on the Republican Ticket.