Jim Gehaghty, National Review [1], 4 August 2008:
All Barack Obama statements come with an expiration date. All of them
Econosphere [2], 6 Janauary:
Just incredible. Breaking news on CNN right now, President-Elect Obama has said his budget will eliminate all “earmarks” going forward, sometimes called “pork” or “pork barrel spending.” These are usually spending items inserted by congresspeople into wholly unrelated bills that never come up for review before a bill is passed, earmarks included. Usually the earmarks benefit the home district of the congressperson sponsor, and there has been a long-standing gentleperson’s agreement in congress not to block or interfere with each other’s earmarks.
Associated Press [3]:
WASHINGTON – The White House played down massive deficit spending and President Obama’s pledge not to sign legislation laden with billions in earmarks yesterday, amid Republican criticism that he was recanting on a campaign vow.
The administration’s top budget official, Peter Orszag, said Obama would sign the $410 billion spending bill despite a campaign pledge that he would reject tailored budget requests that let lawmakers send money to their home states. Orszag said Obama would move ahead and overlook the time-tested tradition that lets officials divert millions at a time to pet projects.
If BO can’t keep a promise as simple as eliminating earmars, a process he does undertand all so very well, Obama has no chance to create or save some two millions jobs in economy which does not understand.