GOP Senators to vote on Earmark Ban

On November 16,2010 all current GOP senators and GOP senate elect leaders will vote on a moratorium to ban all GOP earmark spending during the 112th Congressional cycle.  The Republican Conference, which happens before the start of each new Congressional cycle, is a time when the GOP sets it`s agenda and votes on key policies. This years Conference is vital as many newly elected GOP leaders in the Senate are under pressure from voters demanding cuts in spending. While many GOP members have already stated how they are going to vote on the ban, there are still many senators who not said which way they plan to vote. The actual vote is planned to happen very soon so contacting your Federal senator is very important so they know the will of the people loud and clear.

Earmarks, or in Washington `pork,` is money set aside in a spending bill for an individual senators pet project in his home state. Sometimes an earmark can be very good and provide something much needed for a state. Sadly, in most cases earmarks are nothing more than useless spending to warm voters to a certain senator. Everyone has seen the highway signs stating, `Your tax dollars at work.` Those so-called working tax dollars is Federal earmark money which the state could have provided from their own budget. Earmarks are a source of government waste and overspending which have long been a cherished tradition of Congress for decades. Every senator cries for their earmarks when any spending bill goes though the US Congress.

The situation of wasteful spending on earmarks could change if enough pressure is put on elected leaders. The GOP could send a powerful message to Washington which could influence the DNP to follow if the pressure gets heavy enough. The vote will be the first time in a very long time either of the two major parties have voted on suspending earmarks. In order to mobilize the citizens into unified action the website endingspending.com is full of the information on earmarks and actively  fight to end this bad habit of the US Congress to throw money down the drain.

To read the official citizens action alert and check a list of how GOP senators have promised to vote on this issue go here.