Earmarks In The Early Republic

Earmarks are defined as a provision inserted into a discretionary government spending appropriations bill that directs funds to a specific recipient while circumventing the merit-based or competitive funds allocation process. During this research paper I will first discuss the history of earmarks in our early republic. I will then discuss the reforms that were made after numerous scandals and the subsequent moratorium put in place. I will then discuss the politics behind why the moratorium was put in place and the perceived drawbacks that earmarks have in our system. I will follow up on that with the benefits that earmarks had in our system and why proponents believe bringing them back is a good thing. I will then discuss the possibility …show more content…
At the time the parties were split on where the nation's capital would be located and whether or not the national government would assume the state's debts. Alexander Hamilton represented the interests of those who would like the federal government to assume the state's debts and Thomas Jefferson and James Madison represented those who wanted the nation's capital located in the south. Their compromise came to the 1790 compromise which stipulated that Congress would pass both the residence act and the assumption act. The assumption act earmarked funds to be used for each state's debt and the federal government would then assume those debts …show more content…
Reform was first initiated by congressional rules. Each new Congress adopts rules to govern operations of committees and the manner in which legislation will be considered on the floor. These rules remain in effect for the two-year tenure of the congress that adopts them. The House adopted changes to its official rules in late 2006 which were supposed to provide transparency to earmarks. The House and Senate adopted H.R. 1000 on September 14. According to Birnbaum, staff writer at Washington Post, "the House reacted to a year of congressional scandals by requiring its members to own up to the thousands of earmarks they sponsor each year.(9)" This rule required that each earmark inserted into appropriations bills in committee would have to be disclosed along with the names of the members of congress sponsoring them(10). However, this rule did not apply retroactively and as this was passed all but one appropriation bill had yet to be passed. Therefore, this rule change was not very substantive and no earmarks were disclosed as a consequence of the 2006 rule

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