Senate Plans Billions in Earmarks, Including $20M for Ted Kennedy Memorial

Meredith Jessup | September 26, 2009 7:22 AM

A big military spending bill making its way through Congress is (rightfully) drawing fire from fiscal conservatives... like myself. The bill includes an earmark

submitted by Sen. John Kerry (D-Ma.) that has absolutely nothing to do with national defense: $20 million for an "educational institute" honoring late Senator Ted Kennedy.

The earmark...requires US taxpayers to help the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate realize its goal of building a repository for Kennedy’s papers and an accompanying civic learning center on the University of Massachusetts at Boston campus in Dorchester, next to the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

It's bad enough that a politician would ask taxpayers to pay millions for an unnecessary project--let alone one the late Senator's own family could easily afford--but why does this money have to come out of the Defense Department's budget?

This "educational institute" isn't even so much a place for learning as it is enshrining Kennedy:

The institute will serve as a focal point for the late Massachusetts senator’s legacy, much as presidential libraries do. It will house Kennedy’s official papers and oral histories from the nearly half-century he served in the Senate.

I might not agree with it, but I will admit: it's hard to imagine a more fitting way to honor Senator Kennedy's career than squandering millions in taxpayer money.

Think that's bad? According to the Washington Examiner, the Kerry earmark is FAR from being the only one. In total, there are "778 earmarks totaling more than $2.65 billion" being included in the defense bill from members of BOTH parties.

Are we fed-up yet, America? Do you suppose "no earmarks" Obama will veto this monstrosity? Yeah, I don't think so either.