Politics | John McCain On Earmarks, McCain Tilting at Windmills Vetoing all earmarks would bring gridlock, congressmen say By Gabriel Winant Posted Sep 17, 2008 12:30 PM CDT Copied Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, during a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, in remembrance of the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke) Members of Congress warn that earmarks won’t go away just because John McCain thinks they’re wasteful, Politico reports. On the stump, the would-be president has been threatening to veto any spending bill containing earmarks; such a move would be "an executive branch power grab" that would bring government to a standstill, say members of his own party. The Constitution is very specific and very clear about who appropriates money,” says Florida Rep. Bill Young. “Not all earmarks are pork-barrel spending.” Many allegedly wasteful items are actually popular and legitimate projects like veterans’ hospitals. “What a President McCain could do is make Congress pay closer attention to earmarks,” Young adds. Read These Next Bryan Kohberger has admitted his guilt. Keith Urban interview ends after Nicole Kidman question. Sean Combs jury reaches a decision on all charges. A Japanese archipelago is hit with 900-plus quakes in just 2 weeks. Report an error