It is part of the broken way Washington works but a lot of useful even important projects are funded through earmarks. Eliminating earmarks will take funding away from a number of education programs.
I got this message from the National Writing Project, which is one of those programs:
The Coburn amendment proposes a moratorium on earmarks beginning with the
2011 budget. NWP is considered an earmark even though we are an authorized
program in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The amendment would
prevent the Senate from directing funding to NWP despite its authorized
status.
America, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and The
International Organization on Arts and Disability, are all in the same
situation.
For more information, see NWP Works website.
Dale Dougherty 