Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Reason Rundown With Peter Suderman
    • The Soho Forum Debates
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Print/Digital Subscriptions
    • Gift Subscriptions

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Earmarks

Kevin McCarthy speaks to other members of Congress

Congress

Why Are Some Republicans Revolting Against Kevin McCarthy's Bid To Be Speaker of the House?

The insurgent Republicans want to balance the budget, impose new barriers to immigration, and increase transparency for future earmark spending.

Eric Boehm | 1.3.2023 4:55 PM

topicseconomics

Economics

The Return of Earmarks Means More Pork-Barrel Spending by Congress

Lawmakers stuffed more than $8 billion in pet projects into an omnibus federal spending bill passed in March. But wait, didn't Congress ban earmarks back in 2011?

Eric Boehm | 5.30.2022 6:00 AM

dreamstime_xl_99397039

Government Spending

Earmarks Are Back, and They're Just as Sleazy and Secretive as Ever

Lawmakers packed $8 billion of pork into the omnibus bill that passed Congress last night.

Eric Boehm | 3.11.2022 11:20 AM

matthias-oberholzer-IdpH__FGkro-unsplash

Earmarks

Federal Spending Is Out of Control. No, Earmarks Won't Change That.

Congress throws far too much money at special interests.

Veronique de Rugy | 3.4.2021 12:01 AM

earmarks

Earmarks

Bringing Earmarks Back Won't Fix Congress

Eliminating earmarks didn't make the government smaller. But reinstating them would facilitate legislative corruption.

Eric Boehm | 2.17.2021 3:00 PM

Large image on homepages

Earmarks

Republicans Have Made Two Arguments for Bringing Back Earmarks. They're Both Wrong.

Republicans took control of Congress in 2010, in part, by promising to kill earmarks. They might lose Congress in 2018 by bringing them back to life.

Eric Boehm | 1.11.2018 10:59 AM

Large image on homepages

Politics

The Case For Back-Room Deals, Party Hacks & Unlimited Money in Politics

Jonathan Rauch's Political Realism argues that libertarians should embrace "transactional politics" if they want big changes.

Nick Gillespie and Todd Krainin | 9.22.2015 11:30 AM

Politics

$174K For Senator's Widow, Other Goodies Included in Government Shutdown, Debt Ceiling Bill

Surprised?

Reason Staff | 10.17.2013 7:30 AM

Politics

Hero Guy Federal Employee Tries to Get Himself and All of His Colleagues Fired

Katherine Mangu-Ward | 9.27.2013 2:40 PM

Politics

White House's Jay Carney, circa 1997: "Pork Lives!"

Nick Gillespie | 5.28.2013 1:26 PM

Politics

Rick Santorum Is For Freedom, Except When He's Not

Peter Suderman | 1.4.2012 3:17 PM

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason FacebookReason TwitterReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeReason ItunesReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2022 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use