Palin and McCain supporters have made claims that Barrack Obama requested earmarks from the federal government. McCain himself said that Obama earmarked $1 billion in pork. Palin positions herself as the reformer, not wanting earmarks.
In Fairfax, Virginia. Palin said, “We reformed the abuses of earmarks in our state, and it was while our opponent was requesting a billion dollars in earmarks as a senatorial privilege. What I was doing was vetoing half a billion as an executive responsibility.â€
The fact is Palin has been to the federal well for her state – more so than Obama. And Obama hasn’t earmarked $1 billion.
According to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group which tracks earmarks, Alaska is set to receive $506.34 per capita in earmarks, $346 million – the highest per capita in the nation. Gov. Palin’s office submitted 31 requests, totaling nearly $197 million.
Wall St. Journal reports (9/9/08) :
In fact, the Illinois senator requested $311 million last year, according to the Associated Press, and none this year. In comparison, Gov. Palin has requested $750 million in her two years as governor — which the AP says is the largest per-capita request in the nation.â€