2010 N.H. Senate Debates: on Government Reform

Judd Gregg: Earmarks legitimately direct money to worthy projects

Gregg won the money through earmarks, a process that has fallen so much out of political favor Ayotte and Hodes have taken pledges against it. Gregg has long stood by special spending requests by members of Congress as a legitimate way to direct money to worthy projects--as long as the total federal budget is conservative and the earmark process is transparent. In the past three years alone, Gregg, a member of the Appropriations Committee, won more than $278 million in earmarks by himself or teamed with others for projects. In next year's budget, Gregg has requested an additional $113.5 million.

Judd Gregg: Earmarks prioritize spending that bureaucrats would miss

Gregg talked about what earmarks meant to th weather center which once stored climate records in Tupperware containers on the mountain's summit. The records now are in a digital database. Last year, 30,000 people visited the center, an interactive science museum to help people understand weather. Visitors also can talk with meteorologists on top of Mount Washington, home of some of the world's worst weather. Without the earmark dollars to help expand the center, "there's a chance nobody in Washington would even know this place existed," Gregg sai

Kelly Ayotte: Praised Sen. Gregg for earmarks; but pledges against them

"Congressman Hodes is having an election-year conversion on earmarks. He requested over 60 earmarks last year. He's voted for 9,000 earmarks just in 2009 alone," Ayotte said. Asked what she would say to the defense contractors and other businesses benefiting from Gregg's effort, Ayotte said: "What's happened with earmarks in this country is they've been used to buy and sell votes. We saw it so much with the health care bill, the buying and selling of votes and other examples in Washington. That type of corruption has to end. With respect to our businesses we should reform the process in Washington."

Paul Hodes: $122M in earmarks while in House; pledges none in Senate

Hodes, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, put in his share of special spending requests during his two terms in the U.S. House, but swore off earmarks after he decided to run for Gregg's seat. Hodes requested $122 million in earmarks by himself or with others before taking his anti-earmark pledg in January. Among them was $475,000 last year to support homeless veterans in Nashua. Former Republican Sen. John Sununu and Gregg joined him in the request. He also teamed up with others--including Gregg--over the last three years to get $1.5 million to treat uninsured patients at community health centers.

Hodes and Ayotte accuse each other of adopting the anti-earmark position as a matter of political convenience.

Paul Hodes: No pay-to-play: earmarks without campaign contributions ok

Hodes insisted the problem rests with those who request earmarks for groups that later funnel money to their campaigns, called "pay for play." Hodes said it was more important to be independent and not necessarily do what was politically popular. "Some people have criticized me for not bringing home pork, not bringing home the bacon," he said. "When I asked for the earmarks I maintained a policy that I would not ask for contributions from anybody on whose behalf I asked for an earmark because I did not want it to be pay for play."

Kelly Ayotte: Ban earmarks; Hodes voted for 9,000 of them

Ayotte said the stimulus only created "temporary or government" jobs and more taxpayer-paid spending hurt the economy as national unemployment increased by 2.5 million jobs. "It was a big government program, but it didn't allow the growth in the private sector," Ayotte said.

During the four years Hodes was in Congress, Ayotte said the federal deficit went up 525%, the debt increased $5 trillion to $13 trillion and Hodes voted for 9,000 earmarks last year. "Congressman Hodes is wanting to portray himself as a fiscal conservative," Ayotte said.

In this campaign, both candidates call for a ban on earmarks. Ayotte said Hodes had an election year conversion on earmarks. Hodes noted Ayotte earlier in this campaign had defended earmarks as long as they were transparent until after Hodes had endorsed the ban.

Kelly Ayotte: Make Congressional pay "performance-based"

Ayotte said congressional pay should be "performance-based" and predicted Hodes would not fare well under such a system given his votes on taxes and spending. "I think that he owes the taxpayers of New Hampshire a refund," Ayotte concluded.

Paul Hodes: Cut Congressional pay by 10% during recession

Ayotte said congressional pay should be "performance-based" and predicted Hodes would not fare well under such a system given his votes on taxes and spending. "I think that he owes the taxpayers of New Hampshire a refund," Ayotte concluded.