A Stitch in Haste

Dude, what's with the earmarks? (WSJ - $)

After reporters started asking questions, the Congressman disclosed his requests this year for about $400 million worth of federal funding for no fewer than 65 earmarks. They include such urgent national wartime priorities as an $8 million request for the marketing of wild American shrimp and $2.3 million to fund shrimp-fishing research.

When we called Mr. Paul's office for an explanation, his spokesperson offered up something worthy of pork legends Tom DeLay or Senator Robert C. Byrd: "Reducing earmarks does not reduce government spending, and it does not prohibit spending upon those things that are earmarked," the spokesman said. "What people who push earmark reform are doing is they are particularly misleading the public -- and I have to presume it's not by accident."

Four hundred million dollars? Shrimp-fishing research?

With the insolent faux-rationale that, "Gee, the money will get spent anyway, so why not grab some for my shrimping buddies..."?

Whether you call Paul a libertarian (incorrect) or an anti-federalist (closer to correct), be sure to call him two other things as well:

A hypocrite and a moral defective.