Reply #1: 17.2 billion in 2008 out of a budget of 2,439.3 billion or 0.7%

[seasat]

According to this watch dog group, there were 17.2 billion in earmarks in 2008 and according to the government budget report (Large PDF), the total on budget outlays were 2.4 trillion. Total earmarks represent seven tenths of a percent of the total budget.

McSame would not even consider half of those earmarks pork. He's backed off on large earmarks such as aid to our allies. How is that idiot going to balance a 450 billion dollar deficit by cutting about 8 billion dollars in pork projects? That doesn't include the quarter trillion dollars of deficit added if his insane tax proposal passes. It doesn't include his expansion of military spending. If elected, he could easily have the first trillion dollar deficit.

There is no way he can balance the budget without gutting or eliminating all government services and extreme cuts to the military following his plan. My three year olds will still be paying for his debt by the time they retire if he even gets half his plan through congress.

To those (not here on DU) that say he won't be able to get it through a Democratic controlled congress, I present the case of Dubya. He ran as a maverick who was a "uniter and not a divider." He pledged fiscal responsibility. They said that he wouldn't get his plan through congress. Now with the economy in shambles and deficits through the roof, those same folks are saying that Bush wasn't a real fiscal conservative, McCain is. I think I've heard this tune before.