Quoting from this site:
Republicans John McCain and Tom Coburn say they’re putting their colleagues on notice: They will challenge special projects that senators insert into spending bills until the practice stops. McCain, of Arizona, and Coburn, of Oklahoma, say recent congressional scandals stem from lobbyists’ ability to persuade lawmakers to designate favored projects in big spending bills, sometimes in secret. In a letter to fellow senators, McCain and Coburn said the practice— known as earmarking — gives lobbyists too much influence and is growing worse.
“The unsavory practice of inserting such provisions at the last minute stifles debate and empowers well-heeled lobbyists at the expense of those who cannot afford access to power,” they wrote.
And Republicans chose Dubya.
Was it because you wanted to be smarter than your president?