Last week, former Senator Tom Coburn held an event to introduce our organization, Pursuit. The event included a special guest, Senator James Lankford (R-OK). The event was widely attended by … READ MORE
Government waste
Earmarks Helped Create America’s “Infrastructure Deficit”
President Trump used his recent State of the Union address to make a case for a substantial investment in infrastructure. One word he wisely did not use was “earmark.” Earmarks … READ MORE
Fixer Upper: Fannie Mae Edition, New $171 Million Home Will “Make Lobby Shops Jealous”
During the housing crisis in 2008, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, unable to meet their financial obligations, were taken over by the federal government. Ten years later, they are still … READ MORE
Paul Ryan’s Test
Recently boosted by the off-the-cuff remarks from President Trump, the debate over bringing back earmarks is picking up steam on Capitol Hill. But, if earmarks are going to be restored, … READ MORE
The Story of Rep. Phil Burton: Parks, Pork, and Political Power
The following is an excerpt from Parked!, a 2013 report from the office of Senator Tom Coburn about Congress’s misplaced priorities that have led to a massive maintenance backlog at … READ MORE
Billions of Waste Uncovered in New Farm Bill Report
Representative Steve Russell (R-OK) recently released his eighth edition of ‘Waste Watch - his version of the Wastebook which has highlighted billions in wasted taxpayer dollars. His latest report focuses … READ MORE
Congressmen Use Founding Fathers to Justify “Favor Factory” for the Well-Connected
This week, the House Rules Committee held hearings about potentially bringing back earmarks, or as many members like to call them, “congressionally directed spending.” Few points were made more than … READ MORE
What if Earmarkers had Jobs in the Real World?
The House is holding hearings this week about the return of the earmarking process. People in the pro-earmark camp will roll out flimsy defenses such as, “the power of the … READ MORE