One other point about earmarks. Depending on which numbers you believe, the total dollar amount of all earmarks constitutes only between 1%-2% of the entire FY budget. So even if all earmarks were eliminated, the proposed '09 budget would be virtually the same as with the earmarks.

Kind of makes you scratch your head as to why the Republicans are making such a ruckus over the proverbial "drop in the bucket" , particularly when a full 40% of the proposed earmarks are sponsored by ... Republicans!