Thad Cochran on Earmarks

In an interview with National Public Radio, six term US Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) audaciously asserted that earmarks had been given a bad name.

In fact, "Gentleman Thad" bragged about how his thirty six years of seniority and membership on the Senate Agriculture and Appropriations Committee could be applied to direct how tax dollars are spent. 

Cochran's concern about who controls the spending of tax dollars seems less constitutionally connected and more ego driven.  According to Breitbart's Big Government, Cochran has more buildings named after him in Mississippi than any current lawmaker has in his state or district.

  

And to think that Cochran has not been able to earmark any vanity plates since Speaker John Boehner (R-OH 8th) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) banished budgeting earmarks after the 2010 elections. Wonder where Cochran stands against Robert Byrd's naming legacy in the Mountaineer State? 

The 76 year old Senior Senator from Mississippi is engage in a contested Republican primary against Tea Party favorite State Senator Chris McDaniel (R-42nd-Ellisville). Despite some hopeful polling at the beginning of April, Cochran still seems to have a solid lead.  But Mississippi voters will finally decide during the June 2nd primary.