It seems like a great counterattack: Sarah Palin says she opposes earmarks but has presided over a state government that has sought them. Gotcha.

Only no. Not gotcha. The point about earmarks is not that states and localities seek them. It would be madness for a state not to try and get money from Washington if it’s being handed out. Palin would be a bad governor if she didn’t try and secure some of that lucre for her state. As for her being for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it, her opposition was in part that the money spent on it was money wasted because no one would use the thing.

The reason the Bridge became notorious wasn’t because it was an earmark per se but because it was insanely stupid to pay $300 million for a bridge that would be used by 50 people a day; it was a nearly perfect example of wasteful Washington spending, with a clear hint that there was graft and fraud involved because why else would it be in anyone’s interest to build it or stick money in the federal budget for it?

Palin’s support for and advocacy of the decision to cancel the Bridge and convert those dollars into a block grant for other transportation projects in Alaska was a neat marriage of politics and principle. Politics, because it gave her authority over a big pot of money. Principle, because the money could be spent wisely instead of foolishly and (probably) criminally.

The issue with earmarks has to do with the conduct of the givers, not the behavior of the receivers. The receivers ask; there’s no crime in asking. The crime comes from the giving of the people’s money for preposterous purposes, and in doing so without a moment’s public debate of these expenditures. They exist for one reason only:  To allow senators and congressmen to dole out goodies at home so that they can claim they brought home the bacon.

Everybody knows this is a repugnant system, but it’s just too useful for Washington politicians to give up. The reason that McCain’s stand on earmarks is remarkable is that he is one of a handful of the 535 legislators in Washington to refuse to participate in the system, potentially doing damage to his efforts to convince Arizona voters he’s on their side. He was tempted and refused to give into temptation. Palin was sent a check and she decided she would rather Alaska spend the check wisely. There is no contradiction here.