The costly return of earmarks

Recently, an article appeared in the Herald about the new surge in congressional earmarks, a practice eliminated by Republicans about 10 years ago. True to type, local Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider, bless his heart, dropped a $600,000 earmark into a proposed spending bill to fund the closure of Park Street in Mundelein to allow expanded outdoor dining in the summer. At the time, that seemed to me to be an excessive amount of money for a few police barricades.

Well, imagine my surprise to read in the Herald on May 26 that Park Street would be opened on Friday, May 28, for outdoor dining, without the $600,000 gift from Brad Schneider and American taxpayers. And, guess what, the budget is "only" $300,000.

This issue is a microcosm of what's wrong with Washington and what is driving America to the brink of bankruptcy. Congress consists of a group of self important people with no particular expertise in anything, who have no real responsibility (except to themselves to get reelected), but have unlimited authority to spend other people's money.

This is not just a Democratic phenomenon. One wonders what overpriced jewels are contained in Adam Kinzinger's $80 million earmarks.

Pity the next, next, next generations who will be paying for this inane spending.

Dave Van Singel

Long Grove