88.66%	Yes
11.08%	No

Comment: In this time of economic crisis, we shouldn't be wasting money. It's about what we NEED, not what we WANT. from Portland by Brian

Comment: Essentials only until this ludicrous debt is behind us. Please, let us put our differences asside, they will always be there. Must it always be some earth shattering tragedy that reminds us of what IS relevent? from Lewiston by C.

Comment: Yes! from Dresden by crystal

Comment: this is tough times people , we dont need the pork in the budget,who cares about a lighthouse , oh maybe a few tourests, they wont come here, are you serious ,the price of gas is gonna be 4 bucks a gallon again, the high cost to drive in our fine state with tolls tolls, tolls, and you people who think the gays will come here for marriages, stupid !!!! just look now, business are folding up daily around here, yeah "the way life should be" well you can blame all the greedy bastards who put all the pork in other bills, this need to stop permanently,President Obama got it right , here is the bail out money for the states , use it wisely or loose it all together , do we really need to paint another lighthouse!!?? wise up people. live with in your means, buy with cash ,shut the tv OFF!! from Wells by Dean

Comment: Absolutely, accountability starts with them!!!! Say what you mean and mean what you say for once. from Lewiston, Maine by Fed up with Government

Comment: Congress is driving americans into the ground and need to be stopped. Lets vote them all out next election and start over. We need to send a clear message to Augusta and Washington that we are sick of massive spending, tax hikes, and being lied to. If both Washington and Augusta keep up the crappy job they are doing then there will be nothing left to Maine or America. from Westbrook by Matt

Comment: stop special spending create jobs from Lewiston by Brian

Comment: Earmarks have gotten a bad rap. Sometimes a special project needs to be funded and earmark is the quickest way to do it. from Auburn by Dan

Comment: Yes. We are all but eliminating unnecessary things in our budget. Congress should do the same. from Kennebunkport by Bud

Comment: We need to keep up wuth light houses.People come to see them and we need to keep them up I still go to the portland light house cause it is beautiful. This is how maine is suppose to be from sanford,maine by josh

Comment: WE ARE IN DEBT ENOUGH AS A COUNTRY from SO PORTLAND, ME by MELVIN

Comment: STOP SPENDING MONEY!!! Concentrate on lowering taxes! from West Gardiner, Me by Brian

Comment: YES YES AND YES...we are nearing a depression....give me a break! from Falmouth by B.

Comment: I feel like "someone" is trying to buy my vote! Well, its not for sale. from Buxton by marilee

Comment: Earmarks!?! Let’s look at how complacent people in this country have become. In December oil was $50 a barrel and prices were $1.58 a gallon, people were happy! Now oil is $35 to $40 a barrel and prices are back up to $2.00 a gallon and sad but true people are still happy! What gives with this? Complacency!!! If gas is $2.00 or under the people are happy! This is not sound thinking. Now, they want us to approve earmarks! Some people can’t even afford to eat let’s fix that first! My guess is; however, people are so gullible that this will go through without a second thought! People please think! from Westbrook, ME by John

Comment: If we Mainers need or want something, we should pay for it. By asking the federal budget to pay for it, we also agree to pay for the earmarks of all the other states. I don't believe Maine wins in the long run. Our children and grandchildren will be paying for these things plus interest and suffering recession because we "want it all" now. from Wells by Erin

Comment: All of these earmarks are to be funded with borrowed money at a time when tax revenue is declining and raising taxes will only slow the recovery. These projects need to be locally funded and if necessary deferred. from Belgrade, Maine by Carl

Comment: government needs to STOP SPENDING from Brunswick/ME by Kelly

Comment: We all have to cut back...like it or not. by ~Maine Momma~

Comment: Even though most have abused the system there are still things that earmarks will help, like light house upkeep. from West Newfield by Jennifer

Comment: Definitely. With just passing the stimulus package we the United States Government as well as the taxpayers cannot afford them. from Poland Maine by Lois

Comment: I agree, it is neccesary to appropriate funds to specific projects. from Sanford Maine 04073 by Lacota

Comment: this is kinda off topic but would putting camera in the parking garage entrances considered a earmark? from lewiston by curious in lewiston

Comment: Unfortunately, our members of Congress are feeding at the trough along with the rest of them in Washington. They are so far removed from the plight of the working class given the fact that they have salaries that most Mainers cannot dream of. It is time that they set an example for other members of Congress and exercise some restraint. from S.Portland by Don

Comment: It is bad enough that we continue throwing good money after bad ( all those bailouts) we sure don't need to spend billions more in sheer pork. by wilma

Comment: Earmarks should be voted on by their own merit. Not a reward for voting a cetain way on any major bill. from Chelsea by Larry

Comment: Susan Collins has lost her mind and is doing everything she can to bankrupt our children's children. from Augusta by Marc

Comment: Lighthouse need to be upgraded for the 21st century. It is just a tower with a light on it. We should be able to put these all up and down the cost for cheap. from Scarborough by Stephen

Comment: Dosen't help anything in the real Maine! Them BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL RHINO are a disgrace to the real Maine from Greenwood by Wayne

Comment: should be totally be eliminated... we shouldn't have to pay for "projects" in other states nor should others pay for maine projects from minot, me by todd

Comment: It's stealing. There is a proper way to appropriate money. Vote on it. from Augusta by Ann

Comment: I think all earmarks should be kept, because we need to retain our history. from Harrison, Maine by Imelda

Comment: But it will never happen! from Maine by Rebecca

Comment: Obama promised that he was different. "No more Government as Usaual." It seems that he has taken the word "NO" out of that statement. Which leaves us with "Government As Usual" (X 10) I'm disappointed in him. from Biddeford,ME by Rev.Brian

Comment: WE have to stop spending. from Lewiston Me by G

Comment: Make lobbying a volunteer position and the earmarks will go away. from Portland, Me. by Paul

Comment: Government must stop spending for the sake of spending! from Lewiston by Dennis

Comment: I thought Obama promised to get rid of earmarks if elected. Are his pants on fire? from Kennebunk by Arnold

Comment: pork needs to be taken out of government. Government needs to be smaller and put back in the hands of the people not just the politicians. Elected officials should represent all the people not just their own pet projects. from Portland, Maine by Sarah

Comment: now is the time for only necessary things from windham by bob

Comment: I think that we need to keep the earmarks that make maine so unique and keep bringing tourist here.On the other hand I could see why Congress want to hold on this type of projects, we have many people loosing there jobs and many families going hungry. The money should go to help all the hard working people here in maine that can make it this days. from livermore falls maine by heidy

Comment: I think the earmarks should be accountable to how the money is spent. The general public needs to be able to check on the progress and where the money will be spent before it is given out. from Norway, Maine by Cynthia

Comment: YES YES YES! We can't keep funding everything! We need to have responsible people in congress! from Portland by Brian

Comment: I feel that if the average person has to tighten their belts than Congress has to also, after all they are spending our money! from oob by Babs

Comment: yes yes yes without a doubt. from bridgton by marty

Comment: These are trying times, we need to focus on the critical initiatives to improving the livlihood for all to live the American dream. from Springvale by Anonymous

Comment: At least until we get the deficit under control... from Peru, ME by Bill

Comment: Is this all it took to buy off our two Senators to vote for the bankrupting stimulous bill> WOW! Peanuts for trillions . What fools! from Hallowell/ME by Roger

Comment: Are you kidding me?! Repairs in the state of Maine are supposed to be the responsibility of the state! We shouldn't expect help from anyone else. That's the problem with this state...always expecting others to bail us out! from Brunswick by Nickee

Comment: its a shame , this welfare package will only hurt maine in the long run,ther will always be workers and people who refuse to work and the workes in maine will no longer be able to support these wastful prgrams from camden by robert

Comment: I think that they should not get rid of Earmarks its very important to update the lighthouses so they look good. and they should talk about it more and see what happens from Maine by Sophie

Comment: I, too, am disappointed in Senator Collins and President Obama. The 'Cut wasteful spending' speech was short-lived. from Saco by Jim

Comment: All earmarks should be out. It is a travesty for this to occur. I think Collins and Snowe should be ashamed of themselves from falmouth/maine by Ernie

Comment: HECK YES! This is not the time for extras. Get the budget balanced first with the basics. Turn around the economy, then maybe some limited non essential spending. from Yarmouth/Maine by Randall

Comment: If the earmarks are creating jobs, they should stay.What should go are income tax "breaks". These do nothing for creating jobs. from Biddeford by Richard

Comment: Earmarks have gotten out of hand and until the economy turns around they should be suspended. At a later time they could be re-instated but should be regulated so the spending doesn't get out of hand again. from Alfred, Me by David

Comment: Our representative believe they have a right to earmarks so they can tell the people...see I brought home the bacon! from Portland Me by Richard

Comment: why not if we have to give up some things why cant thay from Topsham by Bob

Comment: yes they need to stop this goverment waste. from biddeford by ricky

Comment: Lighthouses are important to Maine and are also used for navagation of boats and fishermen. from Gorham,Me by Joyce

Comment: Stop borrowing money. Let's get our HOUSE (country) in order first and THEN take care of the lighthouses. It's how I have to run MY house and it's MY Government!!! from Bowdoin, ME by Tera

Comment: Enough is enough. Stop this out of control, wasteful spending! from Portland, ME by Ray

Comment: If you don't have the money you can't spend it..... from Edgecomb by J

Comment: The public needs to make a stand and let politicians know that we want them to stop thinking of themselves and start thinking about all the people who make up the middle class and are paying for all of this nonsense. from Maine by Kathy

Comment: Lets think about this for a minute.If people had some money set aside and needed to repair their car or wanted to paint their deck on the house, which would you do???? Priorities need to be established in earmarks just like in your home and finances.This country is in a major crisis. Needs should be met long before wants. from Appleton, Maine by EG

Comment: We can't afford EVERYTHING! from Biddeford by Debi

Comment: IT'S ABOUT TIME WE GET RID OF SPENDING MONEY ON ANYTHING THAT JUST A FEW WANT.LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE. from WILTON by HERBERT

Comment: Absolutely! Why not invest these funds into the spending which was taken out of Obama's Stimulus Plan. OR... is this the same thing but disguised as something else so it doesn't make Sen. Collins look bad? from Portland, ME by John

Comment: We need to invest in our country, unless people really don't care about it anymore. from Scarborough, ME by Eileen

Comment: let it be funded by non-profit and the fishing/boating industry from Kennebunk, ME by Cathy

Comment: I thought that we were promise that there would be no more earmarks??????? I'm sicken and really sad that my boys school district has laid off 18 people becasue of no money! But we have $380,000 to save the light houses! And what other monies for stupid stuff that we don't know about as of yet! These children are OUR FUTURE!!!! We need to stop stupid spending and start investing in our childrens future!!!!!!!!! Come people wake up!!!!!!!! from E. Waterboro, Maine by Afraid for my childrens future

Comment: Congress and the American public need to learn to live on what they earn. These pork projects, regardless of what state they are for are extremely wasteful and part of the financial problem in this company! from Topsham, ME by Megan

Comment: Absolutly,these guys have got to be stopped!! by Joe

Comment: there is a difference between earmarks and pork-barrel spending. as long as it is not a bridge to no where, earmarks should be encouraged. from SoPo, Maine by So

Comment: I would rather have ear wax than earmarks. from Cape Elizabeth by Daniel

Comment: Greetings From The Welfare State. Fox News is the Greatest, I don't have the time to read over 1,000 pages of a BiLL. So I have to rely on them to point out what my Whacked out Senators think the American people should pay for. Light House Reconstruction, A Lobster Museum. Lets take the Light Houses First. Light Houses in Maine are our State Treasures. They have guided boats for hundreds of years. From the old time Whalers to the Lobsters boats of today. What did the State do to keep them in repair? NOTHING. They took the Taxes and blow the money. Did they think that they where a State Treasure? Did they think when people think of Maine they see a Light House? I think NOT! Let Me tell you a story about a Museum. There is a Museum in Kennebunk, It is called The Brick Store Museum. They spent a Ton of Money to fix it up and I mean a Ton. Ok not a Trillion. But a Ton. Know, Right down the road from the Museum is a School. It is called the Park Street School. It is empty Know, It has been for year. Here we go, Listen to this. This is how Maine's Welfare Leader think. They Just sold the School for Three Hundred Thousand Dollars. Here is The Kicker, They had to take out a loan for One point Four Million Dollars to FIX the school before the company would buy it. That is a NET LOSS of ONE POINT ONE MILLION DOLLARS. This is why I mention it. If they had taken the money to FIX the Brick Store Museum and turned The Park Street School in to a Museum. They Would have a place for Tourist to go. It would also draw Revenue for the town. They then could have sold the The Brick Store Museum A WIN, WIN all the way around. But NO. So I ask you Do you want your Tax Money To Pay For The Stupidity Of Maine's Welfare Town and State Leaders? I think NOT. from West Kennebunk Maine by Timothy

Comment: Yes I do and both parties should be apart of it!!! from Gorham/Me by Joe

Comment: In hard economic times like this, we need to get back to basics, and only spend what is absolutely necessary. from Waldoboro by Alecia

Comment: yes from lewiston by anita

Comment: This money is supposed to be used for a specific purpose. The last I new, bribery wasnt one of them. Our government is so corrupt it isnt funny. Why are we fixing up lighthouses when many schools are falling apart! How many books would money used for a lighthouse buy for our kids! How many people can be put to work building up parks and fixing city buildings. Do we really need to use money for less important things when there are so many things that need attention. How about we add up all this "earmark" money and put it back into our deficit or help our seniors pay for medications. WHATS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY!! from Portsmouth/NH by Rob

Comment: We need to put people back to work!!! Let's create jobs and job training as well as road and bridge projects first. from Wells by Linda

Comment: The economy is tough everywhere, and the last thing we need to do is worry about historical sites that are funded through private donations. Yes donations are down, but how can you justify taking money away from medicare to save a lighthouse. But don't get me wrong, it is still vital to keep ALL our history alive. from Cutler, ME by Kathy

Comment: there is something about earmarks whatever you call them that is just wrong, and just because they have been happening for a long time doesn't mean that they should continue. from waterville by duane

Comment: Enough with the pork and ear marks! from Richmond by Barbara

Comment: Sacrifices have to be made by everyone, spread the pain around.... from Westport by Lori

Comment: I dont feel that with our economy in the shape it is in that we need to pay for lighthouse upkeep and stuff like that. from lebanon maine by mary

Comment: I believe the # of layoffs we are having in Maine answers that question! Hungry anyone? from Gorham, Me. 04038 by Elaine

Comment: yes until things get going again from Wilton/Maine by Elizabeth

Comment: If an earmark is needed, make it a part of an account in the budget. Isn't pig manure covered under the Department of Agriculture? from Buxton by Charlie

Comment: Def by Rob

Comment: Yes! Most of the earmarks are not needed. That money could go to unerversal health care or projects needed for basic needs. from Waterville by Jim

Comment: people are losing jobs and they are worried about lighthouse upkeep. man if thats all we had to worried about. from windham by jake

Comment: It's time to end the nonsense. It has gotten out of control. from Portland by Elaine

Comment: I think this country has alot more to worry about than our lighthouses! from richmond,maine by tonya

Comment: In the economic mess we are in, lets stick to necessary things and leave the pork in Washington !! from Harrison by Kip

Comment: Greed, Personal and Corporate is what got our country into the financial mess that we’re in today and its getting worse. Who thinks that more greed on the state level will get us out of the fix we are all in? All these earmarks have merit but this is not the time to approve such spending. Does anyone have a clue how much a trillion dollar is and how long it will take to pay it back, if ever? Every single earmark should be able to stand on its own. Every time a dollar is spent, there should be a debate and a vote. A little common sense would go a long way to prevent out of control spending. Oh by the way, its not one Trillion dollars of debt, it is several. My God People, wake up. Demand this craziness stop before the most powerful and richest country in the world goes the way of the Roman Empire. Excesses and extravagance, moral decay and a belief that our country is so huge, it could never fail. Our parents, Grandparents and Great Grandparents gave up too much to borrow our way into oblivion. I love the country that I was born into, I hope our well meaning legislators in Washington put the brakes on this out of control borrowing and let the economy sort out the mess and pick up the pieces. Painful, you bet it’s going to be painful but why pass this pain on to our children and grandchildren. from Mexico, Me by Bob

Comment: with funding the war on at least two fronts we have to keep even the stimulus bailout down to bare bones - no earmarks, no pork from scarborough by john