Alessi Wrong on Earmarks
Ryan Alessi's column in today's Herald Leader is headlined "Voters like only their pork pie, no one else's". It is built around this quote from Joe Gershtenson, "director of the Kentucky Institute of Public Governance and Civic Engagement at Eastern Kentucky University."
"People don't like Congress but they like their own member of Congress. It's the same with earmarks," he said. "We don't like earmarks but we like the money coming to our state and to our district."
Like many commonly-held thoughts in the media, this one is plain-ol' WRONG! As national Club for Growth President Pat Toomey pointed out back in July:
"Voters across the board have finally found something they can agree on even if their elected officials can't: It's time to cut the fat, even if that means fewer projects for their own districts.
"Conducted in late June, the poll surveyed 800 voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46%. Likely voters were asked the following question: "All things being equal, for whom would you be more likely to vote for the U.S. Congress: 1) A candidate who wants to cut overall federal spending, even if that includes cutting some money that would come to your district or 2) A candidate who wants to increase overall spending on federal programs, as long as more federal spending and projects come to your district?"
"The results were unambiguous. Fifty-four percent of general election voters chose the frugal candidate, compared with only 29% who chose the profligate candidate. Republicans overwhelming favor less federal spending, 72% to 17%, with independents close behind at 61%. Only Democrats prefer more federal spending, but only by a plurality. Thirty-six percent of Democrats chose the more fiscally conservative candidate, with 42% choosing the alternative."
Read the editorial here: Voters Want Less Pork, Even in Their Own District.
