OPINION: Simpson breaks ranks with view on earmarks

It’s surprising that the Republican Party’s state central committee — which seems hell-bent on destroying any notions of a “big tent” for the GOP — hasn’t voted to expel Congressman Mike Simpson by now.

The Second District congressman simply doesn’t pass the litmus test for “purity.” He certainly doesn’t fit the mold of the rest of Idaho’s congressional delegation — something that irritates the heck out of a lot of conservative-minded Republicans. All he does is win elections … year, after year, after year. And that irritates the conservative factions even more.

Recently, Simpson sent out a commentary promoting Community Project Funding, which is a fancy name for “earmarks.” To three members of Idaho’s delegation, and a lot of Republicans nationwide, earmarks are the root of all evil — that nasty element of congressional politics that has given us a $31 trillion debt.

For certain, Simpson is not in tune with the thinking of today’s Idaho congressional Republicans on this issue. But he’s well in line with some of the voices from the past, including the late Sen. Jim McClure and former Sen. Larry Craig. McClure was a master of landing funding for Idaho projects, sometimes through procedural votes after most of his colleagues left town for a holiday recess. Craig, who as with Simpson served on the Appropriations Committee, would receive applause from partisan crowds when he pitched about the virtues of earmarks.

As Craig said then, and Simpson says now, earmarks do not amount to more federal spending. The money is already there and, in relative terms, it does not amount to a lot of money. Wipe out money for earmarks completely, and we’d still have a $31 trillion debt. But as Simpson points out, earmarks — or CPF — offers congressional delegations the one chance to set federal spending priorities for their states. If a delegation turns down the money, it can go to (you guessed it) pet projects in other states, such as New York or California.

Sure, we’ve heard horror stories over the years about ridiculous pork spending. In Simpson’s eyes, that level of fiscal abuse doesn’t occur in Idaho — at least not with the projects he promotes. His priority list includes preventing sewage backing up into homes, upgrading fire stations that don’t have running water, repairing crumbling roads — things that communities cannot realistically provide for themselves without help from the federal government.

“Over the years, I’ve supported many projects like those … each one important to the community in Idaho,” Simpson wrote. “In fact, it’s likely that you are currently benefiting from the safer roads, rehabilitated river walls, or improved sewer systems funded through this program (Community Project Funding). As your representative, I take seriously my responsibility to advocate for Idaho’s priorities within a responsible federal budget. Abdicating this responsibility wouldn’t reduce federal spending by a single penny; it would just send those funds to pet projects in other states or a federal agency to spend at its discretion.”

Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch see it differently.

“After hearing from Idahoans concerned about the abuse and excess spending generated by earmarks, I supported the 2011 moratorium on earmark spending,” Crapo said. “I still hold these concerns and remain committed to fiscal transparency and responsibility.”

Says Risch: “I have long opposed pork spending, and I will continue to do so. Congress should abandon earmarks and treat taxpayer dollars with the respect it deserves.”

Simpson, apparently, listens to a different set of constituents. “I have lived in Idaho’s Second District for nearly all my life. I’ve spent two decades in Congress listening to Idahoans and seeing firsthand what really matters to them. Handing over all decisions about allocating the federal budget over to the executive branch has not gone well for Idaho in the past, but through the CPF program I can bring Idaho tax dollars back home for Idaho priorities.”

There’s no question about it, Simpson brings home the bacon — as McClure and Craig did during their time in Congress. Folks in the Second District will complain about Simpson for one reason or another, but it’s easy to see why voters keep re-electing him.

However, Crapo’s and Risch’s opposition to earmarks probably wins the day with state party leaders.

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Chuck Malloy, a longtime Idaho journalist and Silver Valley native, is a columnist with Idaho Politics Weekly. He may be reached at ctmalloy@outlook.com.