earmarks?

[milord]

The word "earmarks" is being used at a great rate by the politicians. I confess that I don't know what the hell "earmarks" means. The dictionary gives these two definitions:
1 : a mark of identification on the ear of an animal
2 : a distinguishing mark <all the earmarks of poverty>
Neither definition seems to help me understand the political usage. Would some politically articulate DUer please help me out and explain this to me.
Thanks, in advance.

[magellan]

1. Google is your friend

Earmark: A requirement that revenue be spent on a specific project or purpose, therefore intercepting the money before it is pooled with other revenue and appropriated as part of the General Fund. At the federal level, earmarking is often equated with pork spending.

[lapfog_1]

2. Used to be called "federal budget line item".

i.e. voted on by Congress (not individually, but as a line item in the entire budget).

Senators (and Congress Critters) can add individual items that they (and, possibly their constituents) care about. And it is "earmarked" (think of a turned corner of a piece of paper in a stack) by said Senator with the understanding that other Senators will vote for this and, in return, said Senator will vote for other Senator's earmarks (a gentle person agreement to do so).

After the earmark makes into the budget, and appears as a Federal Budget Line Item, the funds can only be used for the purpose in the "line".

[ColbertWatcher]

3. If google is your friend, Wikip*dia is the cousin you get drunk with ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earmark_(politics)