More Proof No Earmarks Aren't Going to Save the United States from National Debt

Politicians like Billy Long are lying to voters about the effectiveness no earmarks pledges will have on controlling federal spending. Earmarks aren't the biggest issue when it comes wasteful spending in Washington. They have become a mask to hide to hide the real spending problems in Washington, which include wasteful and unconstitutional federal bureaucracies, military spending, and entitlement programs.

CQ.com has recently launched a map of the United States that shows how many federal dollars are being returned to the state in the form of earmarks. The numbers aren't very shocking. When you consider what the average person pays in federal fuel taxes, which is 18.4 cents for every gallon of fuel they buy, the numbers are even less shocking.

For example, the average Missourian purchases 600 gallons of gasoline per year to run their automobile. This average totals $110 in federal fuel taxes paid in by the average Missourian for each car they own based on numbers by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. According DNR, there are 4.2 million cars registered in the state of Missouri. The population of Missouri is just under six million. Consider this when you look at the data CQ.com posted on their Web site, knowing this fuel tax is supposed to be collected and used to pay for road improvements and maintenance, which most of the time gets returned back to the state through an earmark.

For fiscal year 2010, Missouri received $34.75 per resident in federal earmarks. Remember, a resident of the United States owes over $80,000 of national debt if it was divided equally.

Let's take a look at California. California received only $18.51 per resident in federal earmarks. That means once the average Californian fills up their gas tank four or five times, they have basically covered their portion of earmarks.

New York even gets less in earmarks: $14.63 per resident based on 2010 numbers.

Illinois gets only $15.95 per resident in federal earmarks in 2010.

Texas: $17.03 per resident.

Really, when you start breaking down what is really spent because of earmarks and compare it to the federal fuel tax, which I remind you is a tax set up to improve and maintain roads, earmarks are virtually nothing. In fact, they amount to just over one percent of the federal budget, and any politician who claims Washington can be fixed simply by eliminating earmarks isn't being honest with you.