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Obama Signs 'Imperfect' Spending Bill

By the Associated Press

Posted Mar 11, 2009 3:03 PM CDT

(AP) – President Obama, sounding weary of criticism over federal earmarks, defended Congress' pet projects today as he signed an "imperfect" $410 billion measure with thousands of examples. But he said the spending does need tighter restraint and listed guidelines to provide it, including more transparency. Obama, accused of hypocrisy by Republicans for embracing billions of dollars of earmarks in the legislation, said they can be useful and noted that he has promised to curb, not eliminate them.

“The future demands that we operate in a different way than we have in the past,” said Obama, who signed the bill in private. “So let there be no doubt—this piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability.” The president also issued a "signing statement" with the bill, saying several of its provisions raised constitutional concerns and would be taken merely as suggestions.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

President Barack Obama speaks as he meets with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today. (AP Photo)

President Barack Obama meets with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today. (AP Photo)

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Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their districts. And that's why I've opposed their outright elimination. - President Obama

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

Guest

Mar 12, 2009 7:34 AM CDT

That's "radical" in the sense that it is a slight departure from the current state of federal budgetary approval. It's too bad that the bidget must be lumped into one mega-bill where a congressmen will have to support the occasionally ludicrous item to pass the whole, but that's Washington for you: pure politics, in the worst sense at times.

Snowleopard

Mar 12, 2009 7:10 AM CDT

How Obama plans to reform the earmark process and make it more transparent: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/11/President-Obama-declares-turning-point-on-earmark-reform/

Guest

Mar 12, 2009 4:54 AM CDT

Go line item veto! Or we can admit not all earmarks are bad and transparency is a great idea and will help our democracy.

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