From the Nashua Telegraph

Craig Powers of Hudson nails it in a Letter to the Editor of the Nashua Telegraph: 

No place for earmarks in democratic society 

In a recent letter to the editor, Jeremy Muller of Hudson argued the virtues of pork-barrel spending, defending the practice in general and U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes' performance in particular (Feb. 23: "Earmarks by Hodes a benefit to our state").  

He summarized his argument quite unambiguously when he wrote "who complains when a representative brings money back to the state? That's their job . . ." 

Who complains when an elected official perpetuates the corrupt and shameless practice of earmarks? Only those Americans who believe that a free man and woman are entitled to that which they have earned.  

Our political class (both sides of the aisle with too few exceptions) and folks like Mr. Muller believe it is proper to take, at the point of a gun, through compulsory and confiscatory federal taxes, that which has been earned by the producers of this nation and then redistribute the ill-taken loot as earmarks to those congressmen most capable of operating in this corrupt system. 

Listing the details of the pork projects that Mr. Hodes brought back to New Hampshire, as Mr. Muller did, does little to remove the stench of the corrupt process.  

The fact remains that despite all of the rationalization of the "goodness" of this process, the projects were paid for with my money and with the money of hardworking taxpayers from every state in the union, none of whom have an interest in these projects or benefit from this income redistribution. 

Just as all Americans are properly outraged at the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere," a cynically comical illustration of the depths to which the earmarks process has sunk, New Hampshire residents should shake their head in wonder at the perpetuation of this dirty business by Mr. Hodes, a practice endorsed in Mr. Muller's letter. 

Americans should be very wary of any demagogue who justifies the taking of money from those who have earned it so that the money can be filtered through the corrupt process that is our federal bureaucracy, only to see a small portion of it trickle back to states in order to promote the "public good." 

The "public good" has always been the clarion call for higher taxes and reduced personal freedom. (Who could be so mean-spirited as to be against the "public good"?) Therein lies the lie that is the foundation of the big-government liberal agenda. 

Mr. Muller concludes his endorsement of the corrupt policy of earmarks with a statement that succinctly captures the bankrupt morals and those of the tax-and-spend philosophy: "If Paul Hodes keeps bringing our tax dollars back to New Hampshire to support our troops, provide jobs and promote the general welfare, then he's got my vote . . ." 

Would you not rather live in a country that respects the hard work, creativity and innovation of all Americans by acknowledging the natural philosophy that we are entitled to keep that which we have earned and should not be enslaved through higher and higher taxes and then forced to battle for the table scraps that are handed out in the form of earmarks?  

Imagine a country in which your tax bill is, say for a start, half of what it is now. That vision could be a reality, but not in the same country in which pork-barrel spending is not only tolerated but endorsed by folks like Congressman Hodes and Mr. Muller. 

Craig Powers 
Hudson