Visualizations : 2005 Earmarks by State Per Capita : I think there may be a...

Why Arkansas?

I’m curious about the patterns here. Does it all come down the the seniority of the senators from the states?

I think the pattern is due more to population. The chart shows earmarks (i.e. millions of dollars) per capita (i.e. divided by population). Thus, states with small population (for instance Alaska and Haawii) will have a small number in the denominator, which tends to result in a larger circle. Note the relatively small size of populous states such as Florida, Illinois and New York. Senate seniority will tend to influence the numerator (dollars).

5/25 Anonymous: Not a statistician here, but isn’t the relatively small size of the populous states the point? That those states do have a larger population (denominator) and receive fewer earmarked dollars (numerator)? Therefore the salient pattern is spending per person, and the impulse is to ask what causes that pattern, above and beyond population. However, if that’s an over-simplification and the math is more complex, I’d be interested in hearing how and why.

Seems like too much money is spent in AK.

See this paper for an analysis of the determinants of earmarks across US states (using the 2005 Transportation Authorization bill as an example). Small states get more dollars because they are overrepresented in the Senate.

This visualization begs the question(s): how does this fit with federal tax revenue per capita? how about personal income per capita? In other words, who is subsidizing whom? Then, why?

“Earmarks” is a pretty broad term that covers a lot of project expenses. Transportation costs are highest in Hawaii and Alaska. Material costs are high in AK because things designed for the harsh climate just cost more. For example, isn’t the cost per foot of highway surface greater in AK than in, say, FL? Also, how many of Alabama’s earmarks are for the federally-subsidized aerospace industry, or related to it? I think that in order to get a real understanding of pork processing in these earmarks you have to get very, very specific. Accounting is a very slippery business. — Eric

Damn, I expect more than $37 from my congressman, He better deliver at least $40 next term or I might not vote for him again!!
-A Flabbergasted Floridian

See also the Talking Points Memo post on this visualization.

As someone who grew up in Hawaii, I find this damn nauseating. When it comes to schools, hospitals, public transportation, public parks, libraries, and services for the disabled, Hawaii is failing miserably. The citizens of Hawaii get almost nothing in terms of public services. Where’s all this money going?

Do Americans realize that the price of gasoline is $1.00/gallon higher since Democrats have controlled Congress?? I hope I live to see Cong. Murtha, Dennis Hastert, Cong. Kanjorski, and Nancy Pelosi all go to Prison, because they, and others, are “SORRY AS HELL’”