Rep. Virginia Foxx’s recent proclamation that she will not seek congressional earmarks to steer federal funding to local projects is a noble idea.
If that idea were to be universally embraced by members of both major political parties, who too often tend to view taxpayers’ money as their own, Americans might begin to hold their elected representatives in higher esteem.
Don’t expect that to happen.
And, if Foxx sticks to her guns, residents of the 5th Congressional District will be worse off for it.
Without her advocacy, federal money that could have gone to important projects in Foxx’s sprawling district will instead be gobbled up by other members of the U.S. House and Senate for pet projects in their states.
Foxx is right to bemoan the use of irresponsible earmarks, which politicians use to build goodwill with voters back home. And what’s good for the voters back home is usually good for the politicians. Everyone knows that’s how the game is played and how many elections are won.
Working with Sens. Richard Burr and Elizabeth Dole, Foxx has played a hand in making sure a good chunk of federal funding has made its way to her district during the past three years.
In 2007, when Democrats controlled both chambers, the trio still managed to get $1 million in funding for transplant research at Wake Forest University, $300,000 for biofuel research at Appalachian State University and $100,000 for technology for rural schools in North Carolina.
Foxx has also helped secure millions of dollars in federal funding to pay for improvements at Statesville Regional Airport.
In 2008, when Foxx’s seat is up for grabs, we recommend that she continue to play the game by the rules that were in place when she was elected.
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Last week Foxx was quoted in the WS Journal stating that she's opposed to earmarks b/c she doesn't want bad press. It's not the ideology she says, but the fact that the media has made earmarks seems so bad that she doesn't want to get any negative press. Now this week it has been widely published that she leads the House in the dollars spent on franking (mailings paid by tax dollars).
SO, by her own admission: she is OPPOSED to using tax dollars to help taxpayers and promote projects like you mentioned above, but she is FOR using tax dollars to promote herself.
I guess she's looking out for #1-- herself in an upcoming election year.
I hope that voters are paying attention to this and choose to unseat her in 08. She's a disaster.
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