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Author Topic: Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?  (Read 781 times)

AZRedhawk44

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Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?
« on: October 15, 2009, 04:31:40 PM »
I saw the latest earmark thread in the Politics forum and didn't want to derail it.

Mechanically, how does a bill get earmarked?

How is that earmark a legitimate component of the bill, since it alters the bill?  I thought any alteration of a bill is technically an amendment, which must be voted upon.

Lot of anger towards earmarks and signing statements lately.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2009, 04:53:24 PM »
Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on October 15, 2009, 04:31:40 PM
How is that earmark a legitimate component of the bill, since it alters the bill?  I thought any alteration of a bill is technically an amendment, which must be voted upon.

It is, but there's nothing to say they can't bury the earmark down in the bowels of some unrelated amendment.  All it takes is a single line of text.

Brad
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Tallpine

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Re: Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2009, 04:55:11 PM »
I always thought it had to do with identifying livestock ;)
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Standing Wolf

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Re: Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2009, 09:00:20 PM »
Quote
I always thought it had to do with identifying livestock

I think pork still counts as livestock.
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Fly320s

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Re: Earmarks: What are they exactly and how do they work?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2009, 09:30:53 PM »
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