What will the candidates do for the economy? Will they get rid of pork barrel spending?

The citizens against government waste have come out with the 2008 earmarks. Clinton and Obama have earmarks, McCain has none. Here is an example of some of your tax dollars at work.
$3 million for The First Tee;
$1,950,000 for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service;
$460,752 for hops research;
$211,509 for olive fruit fly research in Paris, France;
$196,000 for the renovation and transformation of the historic Post Office in Las Vegas;
$188,000 for the Lobster Institute in Maine; and
$148,950 for the Montana Sheep Institute.
With the economy as it is, and the cost of the war, would you think government would have more sense? www.cagw.org

The figures you see are an example of what they are spending. Billions of tax dollars are spent on Pork Barrel spending.

Unfortunately there will be no change in the mounds of pork that we as tax payers will be force fed. The only way to keep the government from wasting our money is to give them less of it.

One official's pork is another official's service to the district.

These things all look like pork to you; to me, quite a few of them look like funding for useful programs that will help maintain our quality of life.

Moreover, if you want to find the big red X, this ain't it. The combined costs of this pork, divided among the population of the USA, means that all the programs you listed will cost you and me TWO CENTS this year. If you want to save money, consider that the average that each US citizen owes currently for the "war" in Iraq is $10,000 (and yes, "owes"--all the money is borrowed)--and that cost will skyrocket as the war drags on, as we pay ongoing costs for disabled vets and equipment replacement and interest.

Don't sweat the small stuff!

Pork is mainly used as a lure to teetering votes on bills. Even though McCain has never asked for one...he'll be perceived as holding back and insensitive when certain bills come and he vetos them because of excessive pork spending.
And since pork is used to keep some people in office because they get money for their states..the idea of it ending is a fantasy.