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Da Bears
The DN editorial board takes the tough stand: In favor of earmarks:
What is clear is that John McCain's continuing attempt to conflate "earmark" and "waste" is just plain wrong. Among the more expansively defined earmarks is $3 billion in aid to Israel. Even the more narrowly defined earmarks include grants for infrastructure, funding for universities and museums and medical research. No one can say how many of the current programs funded by earmarks would, if the earmark were eliminated, have to be funded another way
Although some of the projects may be frivolous, it's easy to mischaracterize them, as McCain did in all three debates. In the first, he joked about a study of "bear DNA" that in fact is a legitimate scientific approach to estimate the number of grizzly bears and determine whether they continue to be an endangered species. (McCain actually voted for the appropriations bill that included the earmark.)
Makes sense. The problem isn't so much the actual grants (although some of them stink) but the lousy process for awarding them.