Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl and Reps. John Shadegg and Jeff Flake - all Arizona Republicans - were among 12 lawmakers who opposed the transportation bill, the Goldwater Institute noted.
The bill disperses $286 billion from the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, launched in the 1950s to build the interstate highway system, which has long since been completed.
President Reagan vetoed the 1987 highway bill because it contained 152 pork-barrel earmarks. But this year's bill has 6,361 earmarks - for such items as tourism promotion in Rutherford County, Tenn., and bike paths in Delta Ponds, Ore.
These aren't remotely appropriate expenditures, and our Arizona leaders' protest votes are appreciated.
