Top 10 Unconscionable Earmarks

One might question my use of the word unconscionable, but in today’s economy, you all have to admit the these earmarks (which are non-competitive spending provisions a government official, including Governors, Representatives, or Senators, slip into legislation that forces the federal government to spend taxpayer dollars on the politician's project).
Now I am not saying I disagree with all the projects, just the amount of money spent on them. I will explain as we all read the list:

$2 Million for Children's Wooden Arrow Makers - Under this peculiar provision, proposed by Oregon Sens. Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Gordon Smith, manufacturers of certain wooden arrows designed for use by children would get an exception from an excise tax, which could save them up to $2 million over 10 years. I am not opposed to spending money on children, but this is spending money on a product very few kids are going to have access to or even want.
$1.9 million for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service - a planned $30 million academic center supported by longtime New York Rep. Charles Rangel and named, not so surprisingly, for Rep. Charles Rangel. Mr. Rangel, if you want to build a building and name it after yourself, please see to it that you use your own money.
1 Million for New York Woodstock Museum - Hillary Clinton paid for proposing this failed earmark as part of the FY 2008 health and education spending bill. Clinton and fellow New York Sen. Charles Schumer requested a million bucks to put towards a project in their state, backed by a major Democratic Party contributor, commemorating the 1969 music festival.
$192 Million for U.S. Territories' Rum Industries - Senate version of the legislation renews an expired rebate against excise taxes charged on rum imported from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands until the end of 2009. This has been going on for decades, but this renewal was actually tacked on to the bailout plan. Does that make any since to you?
$188,000 for the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine - Maine's two Republican Senators and Rep. Thomas Allen, a Democrat, lined up $188,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch the Lobster Health Coalition at the institute, whose other accomplishments include developing a live Internet camera feeds. People are losing their livelihoods and morons are thinking we want to watch lobsters online?
$98,000 to Develop a Walking Tour of Boydton, Virginia - This piece of not-exactly-essential-spending was secured in a Department of Housing and Urban Development bill by Republican Rep. Virgil Goode (the same guy who said last year that Congress should set an example by not spending as much, hypocrite). First off, where is Boydton? Is it historical, obviously not. Actually the tiny southern Virginia town of Boydton, not even one square mile in size, so why does it need so much money?
$50,000 for the National Mule and Packers Museum in Bishop, California - $50,000 for a donkey museum? Now I have seen it all. California Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, thought it was a good idea to spend $50,000 in federal (tax) money to help establish a museum honoring the pack animals. I would rather spend the $50,000 to get you replaced Mr. McKeon and the rest of the morons on this list
$583,000 for the Montana World Trade Center – No offense to Montana, but it is not exactly the center of financial commerce. But that didn't stop the state's sole U.S. Representative, Republican Denny Rehberg, from securing $583,000 for the Montana World Trade Center. The center, run by the University of Montana, works to help state industry promote its wheat, chemicals, industrial machinery and other exports.
$460,752 for Beer Ingredient – Congress, I could have given you a cheaper ingredient and all you needed was tea and a still (Thanks to Uncle Edward Odom). Two representatives and four senators from Washington and Oregon — which included members from both parties — were able to get more than four hundred grand in the FY 2008 agriculture appropriations bill for hops, a main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage.
$150,000 for "Rat Island" - GOP Sen. Ted Stevens was able to pass a $150,000 earmark in the FY 2008 agriculture appropriation legislation in order to improve rodent control on the Aleutian Islands. Have you tried De-Con? You can get it for $2 a box at the Dollar Store.

No wonder our deficit is through the roof and over half of Americans are losing their job and money. Congress decided to save rats, fund stupid pet projects and royally screw the American people last year. The scary part is that this is only the top 10, I would hate to read the entire list of earmarks from 2008, and then I would be really mad. However, if anyone is interested and has the stomach for it, you can find the entire list here: http://earmarks.omb.gov/2008_appropriations_home.html and I have a feeling a lot of people are going to have plenty to write about when they get through. In fiscal year 2008, there were 11,524 earmarks totaling $16,501,833,000 for appropriations accounts. How many homes do you think we could have saved from foreclosure if we had had that money to spend our way, after all, it is our money right? Think about it, $16,501,833,000 that is trillions of dollars and it all mostly got wasted.