If both parties are against earmarks, What's Mayor & buddies doing in Washington??

The recent move by Washington politicians to put an end to earmarks would have the effect of weakening the influence of lobbyist. In essence, that's what the Mayor and his entourage are: lobbyists. The only difference is that nobody really told them to go up there and lobby. They just hired themselves, so to speak. This recent article from the Daily Beast touches on the effects of cutting back on earmarks.

From the Daily Beast

Democrats and Republicans are competing over which party can take the toughest stand against earmarks, which send federal money to particular projects. On Wednesday, Democrats proposed ending the practice of giving earmarks to for-profit corporations. The hope would be this could diminish the influence of lobbyists.

 Republicans responded by saying they would end the practice entirely, for corporations and for non-profits like universities. In the end, The Washington Post reports, neither proposal will put a real dent in government spending. Earmarks account for $16 billion of the more than $1 trillion that the federal government spends each year.

Come home Mayor Salinas and the rest of you. You can always meet with Henry and Raymond right here in good ol' Laredo, where you all belong.