Bush called out for his earmarksAre you surprised? You shouldn't be since Bush is a Republican and it was Republicans who increased earmarks tenfold between 1995 and 2005, from 1,439 earmarks in 1995 to 13,997 in 2005 and then to well over 14,000 in their last year, 2006, in control of Congress.
Democratic and Republican appropriators are accusing President Bush of urging Congress to pack spending bills with pet projects despite his high-profile crackdown on earmarks this year.
A House Appropriations Committee report accompanying legislation funding the Department of the Interior shows that Bush requested 93 of the 321 earmarks in the bill. A panel report for the financial services and general government spending bill showed that Bush requested 17 special projects worth $947 million, more than any single member of Congress.
Republicans, the Party of big spenders and national bankrupting.
