In the Seattle Times today, Alicia Mundy reports on Senator Patty Murray’s newfound power: 

Murray has just been named secretary of the Democratic caucus, a nebulous title that makes her part of the Senate Democrats’ leadership quartet.

More important, Murray is poised to become chairwoman of the Appropriations subcommittee for transportation and other areas.

God help us all. Putting this woman in charge of appropriations can only mean more pork-barrel spending. While I live in the state of Washington, that doesn’t mean I look forward to still more pork. Especially when it’s transportation money that the state will only abuse by forcing more mass-transit solutions that won’t do much to help most of the people that travel over our roadways onto us.

Even Republican lobbyist Tony Williams, who just ran Mike McGavick’s failed campaign for the U.S. Senate, said, “This is only good news for the state.”

How is more pork good for the state? More pork can only be funded in a few ways: borrowing (aka raising the deficit), cutting other needed programs (like national security), or raising taxes. None of these is a good solution. Cutting spending on pork is the only way to get a handle on the deficit or the confiscatory tax schemes congress and the Democrats are so fond of.

In any case, pork-barrel spending is just plain wrong. We’re talking about taking tax money from people that won’t benefit from it in any way to support a legislators pet projects in their home state. Nowhere in the constitution is that even suggested, let alone authorized.

Republicans, she said, now ignore her “at their peril.”

Murray is dismissive of criticism of her and other lawmakers’ attitude about spending.

Particularly under fire is the use of so-called earmarks, narrowly tailored appropriations that allow senators to skip the normal budget process for some of their favorite projects.

Narrowly tailored? What is Alicia Mundy smoking? Earmarks are an outrage, especially when they fund anything that isn’t of pressing national interest.

Earmarks are often quietly slipped into legislation as favors among politicians. Murray has been a player in the earmark process and was dubbed “the Queen of Pork” last year by Taxpayers for Common Sense, a group sharply critical of congressional spending.

Asked if she favors reforming the earmark system, as some fellow senators have proposed, Murray paused before answering.

Of course she had to pause. She had to come up with a way to sound like she wants reform even though she wants no such thing.

“I think all of us believe that earmarks have to be transparent,” she said of the need to identify which senator is behind each funding request.

But she is unabashed about her willingness to use earmarks for her home state.

…

“We would get lost in the process, and I’m not going to lose,” she added. “Washington state will be feet first at the table.”

…

“I can’t wait for January,” she said.

I just bet she can’t. Get ready to open your wallets. Osama Mamma’s getting ready to reach into them, whether you like it or not.

Cross Posted at Perri Nelson’s Website.