For Immediate Release Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Libertarians stand with taxpayers against earmark abuse
WASHINGTON – America’s third largest party urged President Barack Obama Tuesday to live up to his promise to ‘end politics as usual in Washington’ and veto a $410 billion spending bill. The legislation includes 8,570 earmarks totaling $7.7 billion, a practice Obama pledged to end as part of his pitch to voters during the 2008 election.
‘Republicans already broke their weeks-old promise to stand for fiscal responsibility by fighting to have their fair share of earmarks included in the bill,’ said Libertarian National Committee Communications Director Donny Ferguson. ‘Will Obama keep his promise to end earmarks by vetoing this bill, or will this be the latest in a long string of broken Obama promises? Is Barack Obama a man of his word, or just another politician?’
The White House has indicated Obama will sign the bill, despite his earlier promises to oppose earmarking.
‘Republicans are banding together to grab taxpayer cash and Obama is ignoring his own pledge to stop the practice. With Republicans and Democrats working together to continue wasteful spending it’s abundantly clear the Libertarian Party is the only party agreeing with the American people that earmarks must be abolished,’ said Ferguson.
For more information on this issue, or to arrange an interview with the Libertarian Party, please call Director of Communications Donny Ferguson at 202-333-0008, x. 225, or email Donny.Ferguson@lp.org .
The Libertarian Party is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org . The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.
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