Editorial Board
Congress Is Broken. Earmarks Might Actually Help
Restoring the practice — with safeguards in place, and perhaps a new name — would encourage compromise and moderation.
Not always pretty.
Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg
Just don’t call them earmarks.
Plans are in the works to revive a legislative procedure in which lawmakers can tie funding in appropriations bills to specific projects — airports, bridges, museums — in their home state or district. The process will now be referred to by the serene euphemism of “community project funding,” since the traditional terms (earmarking, pork, horse-trading) have come into disrepute. Whatever it’s called, it’s a good idea.