EARMARKS WORKED FOR BOTH SIDES

 Earmarks are currency for both parties. They are bargaining chips for votes on a Bill and votes for election, depending on how much earmarked to their home state.  Sourcewatch writes:  "Earmarking" is the term used to refer to a provision in legislation that directs funds to be spent on specific projects. Typically, legislators seek to insert earmarks which direct a specified amount of money to a particular organization or project in his/her home state or district. This differs from the appropriation of money to a particular government agency, for in these cases the appropriate executive department can exercise discretion as to where and how the funds are spent. The use of earmarks in the U.S. Congress has expanded significantly over the past thirty years, and is presently the focus of much controversy."

 President Obama came into office with a pledge " to pass “an economic recovery plan that is free from earmarks and pet projects.” "  Michael Grabell and Christopher Weaver have have written this in an article on ProPublica titled:  In stimulus bills, earmarks by any other name..  To read the whole article, click here.
Despite that earlier pledge, the Republicans are only now deciding they have invented the notion and are bringing it out for consideration.  It seems that the Constitution had left some wiggle room for everyone to feel included as a voice. Unhappily, the tool has become a contest to see who can get more votes in their state for re-election by bringing the most 'bacon' back  their state.

From what I have gathered from the media, the practice of adding earmarks to a bill at the last minute so few legislators even get to see it has been added and totally irrelevant to the basis of the Bill.  It is a really sneaky way of doing things but, unfortunately, sneaky is the way things get done in Washington today..