http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-927190.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – McCain has made a big point of his refusal to seek special
funding for Arizona in federal legislation. And he has tried
during his nearly 30 years in Congress to eliminate the earmark
process, without success, all the while other states are getting
funds. Glassman said that's not right.
(Arizonans have been paying the price for John McCain's political
posturing. It's time for us to have someone who puts getting
Arizonans back to work as their first priority.)
But McCain campaign press aide Brian Rogers said that's based on
a flawed premise that Arizona can bring home more federal dollars
by playing the earmark game and inserting spending provisions
into bills in the dead of night.
(States like Arizona are always going to lose out to states like
California that has four times as many members of Congress. When
they just have that many more people who are able to get their
claws into the federal spending pot, the nit's a corrupt system.)
But figures prepared by LegiStorm shows that Arizona does even
worse than might otherwise be envisioned by its relative
population. It does show that in the last three budget years
combined, California did have the most earmarks. By contrast,
Arizona came in 43rd of all the states, behind Montana, North
Dakota, Kansas and Iowa. For Arizona Public Radio this is Howard
Fischer.