Desirous of more “pork barrel” spending, AZ Republic prefers cash to prudence

Newspaper adheres to liberal mantra of “Gimme, gimme, gimme”

In a front page article, featuring the bold headline, Arizona ranks last in pork-barrel cash, the Arizona Republic displays large color photos of three AZ Republican lawmakers, with prominently displayed $0’s beneath their names.

It would appear that Sen. John McCain and Congressmen Jeff Flake and John Shadegg are to be congratulated for their disdain of ‘earmarks,’ or federal monies–paid by taxpayers–for favored projects.

But not so. The daily Fish-wrapper whines about the lack of pork brought back to the state, comparing it to Alaska–with approximately one tenth of Arizona’s population and the most greenbacks siphoned from the federal coffers to pet projects of Alaska’s Sen. Ted Stevens. Additionally, praise is heaped on the paper’s favored Democrats who brought home the purloined bacon.

Arizona has some powerful lawmakers in Washington, including Republican presidential candidate John McCain. But, the daily opines, when it comes to pork-barrel spending, otherwise known as earmarks, the state isn’t very powerful. In fact, it ranks last.

Seeing Red AZ has often been critical of both Flake and McCain.  However, this is not one of those times. Their responsible disdain of taking other people’s money for gratuitous ventures should be applauded rather than irresponsibly maneuvered into a reason to be taken to the woodshed.