"Stubborn ideology" getting in the way of local pork

Even local Republican county officials are a little upset at their new Congressman's latest move. Libertarian Reublican Rep. Tom McClintock has said forcefully, he has no plans to seek special earmarks for his District outside normal budgetary requests.

From the SacBee, "McClintock's refusal to accept earmarks hurts district, critics say" Feb. 8:

As the federal budget season heats up, some Placer County officials are grumbling that Republican Rep. Tom McClintock's ideological opposition to congressional earmarks puts their constituents at a disadvantage.

"It's already hurt us," Supervisor F.C. "Rocky" Rockholm said in a recent interview.

McClintock said he will not seek congressional earmarks – budget requests made outside of the budget process.

"I've made it very clear that I will fight for our district through the normal appropriations process," he said.

Principled but "extreme"

In an editorial, the SacBee opined:

Rep. Tom McClintock, a Republican who represents the congressional district that stretches from Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and from the Sierra Nevada to the Oregon border, has been nothing if not consistent on earmarks. These are funds that members of Congress request for specific projects. McClintock signed a "no earmarks" pledge in 2008, and he has kept to that.

But rather than reform the process, he would prohibit all earmarking. This is extreme. Local members of Congress know their communities better than anyone else in the nation' capital; they are best positioned to request federal projects (such as flood control, roads, wastewater treatment, research facilities, etc.).