Man, oh man, this is gonna get me in trouble in the circles I run in. But intellectual honesty demands that I commend Senator Claire McCaskill for refusing to use earmarks in the budget process. Via Prime Buzz in the Kansas City Star, CBS News had a recent story on Senator McCaskill and earmarks. From the story:

“I am one of 12 U.S. senators who’ve not requested earmarks,” she said. “One of only two Democrats.”

From the teapot museum to wine budgets, earmarks are pet projects that get special funding from individual members of Congress – often without a public vote or scrutiny – and are attached to budget bills that have to be passed.

Now, proponents of the "liberal media conspiracy" theory might very rightly wonder why CBS did this story on a Democrat if 10 of the 12 senators not using earmarks are Republicans, but that does not change the fact that McCaskill deserves great credit for her firm position against earmarks. I know that Senator Coburn from Oklahoma has been a real leader on this issue, as well, but I am getting too political here. So good job, Senator McCaskill! (File that under "words I never thought I would write.")