Many of the earmark request forms are actually filled out by lobbyists and then just turned in by the member's staff to the appropriations committee.
Jeff FlakeUnfortunately there are too many examples of members of Congress and other elected officials using language, referring to your opponents in ways that you would have never done before, ascribing the worst motives to your opponents, and assuming that other Americans are the enemies. And that's just not the way it used to be. And I don't think it can be that way in the future.
Jeff FlakeAfter September 11, it became unpatriotic to question any homeland-security or defense spending, and that let things get out of control.
Jeff Flake