GOP Is Begging for Earmarks

Who could have predicted this?  Oh yeah, me.

Via Politico:

In a letter to Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, 65 House Republican freshmen — or roughly three-quarters of the class — asked that the House consider a miscellaneous tariff bill jampacked with special provisions to suspend duties on various foreign goods, even though it runs counter to the earmark ban Republicans campaigned on in 2010 and instituted when they took power.

Naturally, Republicans are trying to claim their request to have specially itemized funds for the districts are not earmarks.

Reed and others acknowledge that these special breaks look like earmarks but argue they shouldn’t be treated that way.

“As conservatives, we appreciate these concerns. However, we believe it is an error to view duty suspension bills in that manner,” the freshmen, led by Reed, wrote. “Therefore we urge you to work with the Ways and Means Committee to take swift action to move forward and complete MTB legislation as soon as possible in 2012 to prevent a tax on U.S. manufacturing and save U.S. jobs.”

Just because it looks like an earmark, walks like an earmark, and quacks like an earmark doesn't make it an earmark now does it?  Of course not.  These are Patriot Projects!  Don't ask questions.  Just do as we say.  Everything we do is absolutely because we are Real Americans wanting to protect this country from enemies.