Read more at Real Clear Politics.

Club for Growth – If this is true, what a disappointment. 

National Taxpayers Union – If the President misses this opportunity, it would be a heck of a shame. 

Citizens Against Government Waste - If President Bush ignores the big spenders and issues the executive order, it will prove to taxpayers that at least some in Washington have gotten the message about wasteful spending.
 

“Congress Spent $29 Billion On Earmarks Last Year Alone. Earmarks Are The Broken Windows Of The Federal Budget, Signs Of Dysfunction And Distress. … The American People Want Us To End Earmarks Once And For All.” (Rudy Giuliani, Op-Ed, The Meaning Of Fiscal Conservatism, The Wall Street Journal, 12/3/07)

http://www.joinrudy2008.com/blog/view/593 

Mike Huckabee

When asked if he would issue an executive order as president, Mike Huckabee put it this way: “I think some of them ought to be vetoed. If they can’t be vetoed, then ignore them.” Huckabee also vowed to increase transparency.

http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed123107a.cfm

John McCain

I’ll stop wasteful spending by Congress. And restore American’s trust in their Government.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVynnfY-UZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXTRuG9QwzM&feature=related 

Mitt Romney

As President, I pledge to use every available method to eliminate wasteful earmarks in the federal budget.

http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Earmarks_Omnibus

January 18, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear. Mr. President:

On behalf of the millions of grassroots Americans we represent, we write to ask you to protect taxpayers by issuing an Executive Order that instructs all Federal agencies to ignore non-legislative earmarks tucked into committee reports and statements of managers. Now is the time to take back the appropriations process for the American people. Just as many families make decisions to cut wasteful spending when needed, the federal government must also set priorities and cut spending when necessary.

A December 18 analysis by the Congressional Research Service concluded that it is clearly within your legal authority to eliminate all earmarks that appear in committee reports or manager’s statements. By eliminating the over 9,000 earmarks included in the report language of the FY08 Omnibus spending bill, you will send a clear message to Congress that wasteful, secretive spending of taxpayer dollars will not be tolerated.

This situation requires strong action from the President, not transparent political ploys that fail to get the job done. For example, a rescissions package, in which the President submits a list of already-passed provisions for cancellation, would be the equivalent of doing nothing because it requires action from the very same Congress that passed the wasteful earmarks. Similarly, an Executive Order covering only “air-dropped” earmarks, those not appearing in either the House or Senate version of a bill and added in conference, would be a weak answer to a serious problem. The omnibus appropriations bill contained only 300 air-dropped projects and such an order would provide little disincentive for future earmarks.

We urge you to listen to the voice of millions of citizens across the country who resent wasteful earmarking. You have the authority and opportunity to put Congress back on the path to fiscal responsibility. We hope you will seize this opportunity and protect the American taxpayer from further abuse by ending the earmark era. Thank you for your leadership on this issue.

Sincerely,

American Civil Rights Union
American Conservative Union
American Family Association
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for the Preservation of Liberty
Americans for Tax Reform
American Values
Citizens against Government Waste
Council for America
Catholic Vote.org
Coalitions for America
Concerned Women for America
Eagle Forum
English First
Evergreen Freedom Foundation
Family Research Council
Let Freedom Ring
National Center for Public Policy Research
National Taxpayers Union
Porkbusters.org
Rightmarch.com
Taxpayers for Common Sense
U.S. Business and Industry Council
60 Plus Association

Erick Erickson: Senator Coburn wants investigation into Don Young’s appropriation got back into bill after it had been stripped out. Would you support an executive order to zero out these “airdropped earmarks”?

McCain: Absolutely, absolutely. I appreciate any time Coburn goes after these earmarks. He has torn the crown of ‘Miss Congeniality in the Senate’ from my grasp. I’m proud of the effectiveness of the way he has worked. We have to bring this to a halt. People are sick and tired.

Republican rival Fred Thompson is holding a conference call on Thursday. We’ll do our best to ask him where he comes down on the issue of an executive order. Thompson has outlined his views on earmarks as part of his plan to reduce federal spending.

Cross-posted on The Foundry.