Barbara West from WFTV in Orlando, Florida, as well as throngs of screeching gomers outside of various McCain-Palin rallies, seem to really, really hate the idea of "spreading the wealth." And you know what? Maybe they're right.
Stay with me here.
You and I contribute part of our hard-earned income to the federal goverment. Now, it happens that the wealthiest one percent enjoy a lower tax rate than most of the rest of us which is unfair to the middle class and working poor, but okay. Whatever. We all pay into the system and this tax revenue is subsequently "spread around" to other places. Some of them far, far away.
For instance, central Florida received $16.4 million in earmarks requested by Republican Congressman Adam Putnam (FL-12) in 2007. That's only the tip of the spread-y iceberg. The seven-member central-Floridian congressional delegation, including Republican Congressman Weldon of Orlando, attained a total of $65 million in earmarks last year alone.
Furthermore, Barbara West's Orlando region has received tens of millions of federal dollars since 2005 -- wealth that's been spread from you and me... to her local economy.
That doesn't even account for billions of dollars in other federal programs like this one and this one spread from you and me to Orlando, Florida.
Now, I'm not opposed to federal funding of worthy programs nor am I opposed to certain valuable earmarks. However, Ms. West, if you're so opposed to "spreading the wealth" then...
...May we have it back, please?