All of the promises sounded great! Health care for all, lower taxes for most and a change in the way that we do business in Washington. It sounded too good to be true. There is an old adage that I was reminded of often during the presidential campaign of Barack Obama and it goes something like, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Unfortunately, not enough people had heard this saying before they stepped into that voting booth. Anyway, about that change in the way we do business promise that Barack often repeated on the campaign trail, the one that was supposed to eliminate the practice of jamming unnecessary spending into bills that are passing through congress on the way to the President's desk, I wonder what happened to that one? Oh, yeah, the 410 BILLION DOLLAR spending bill, that's what happened to it. The bill that was jammed full of 9,000 earmarks. Earmark, you ask? That is when a member of congress inserts spending proposals into bills in which the money will be sent to their home states to be spent on unnecessary objects or ideas. It's a way to look like a hero to your home state constituents. Barack promised us that he would eliminate the problem if he were chosen as the President. However, a close look at this spending bill, heck even a far away look will reveal 9,000 earmarks, many of which were inserted by the very people that now reside in the Obama administration. The current administration is responsible for 155.9 million dollars worth of spending on projects that will "help" their home states. Here are Obama's 6 administration members that wasted your tax dollars without you even knowing it!

Vice President Joe Biden, as Senator from Delaware, inserted 56 earmarks into this bill that total 52.1 million dollars. Pocket change, right?

Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, as a House member from Illinois, inserted 16 earmarks that totaled 8.3 million.

As a Democratic Senator from Colorado, Ken Salazar, now the Interior Secretary, inserted 44.6 million dollars worth of earmarks.

Transportation Secretary, Ray, LaHood, as a Republican congressman from Illinois, inserted 26.5 million dollars worth of earmarks.

Labor Secretary, Hilda Solis, inserted 15.5 million dollars worth as a Democratic House member from California.

Hillary Clinton, former New York Senator and now the Secretary of State, inserted 6.7 million dollars worth of unnecessary spending into this massive bill.

And then, as if the signing of this bill was not nauseating enough in its hypocrisy, President Obama had this to say during his signing statement,

"Let there be no doubt, this piece of legislation must mark an end to the old way of doing business, and the beginning of a new era of responsibility and accountability."

I don't know about you, but that sounds very similar to the drug addict that tells his family that he has just snorted his last line of cocaine, like the alcoholic that just finished his last beer or like the politician that promises us all that things are finally going to change. Yeah, right Mr. President. As I said in the title to this article, the store that we call our government is open, and it is business as usual in Washington.

Eric Holder, attorney general nominee, was registered to lobby until 2004 on behalf of clients including Global Crossing, a bankrupt telecommunications firm.

Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year on behalf of the National Education Association.

William Lynn, deputy defense secretary nominee, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for defense contractor Raytheon, where he was a top executive.

William Corr, deputy health and human services secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until last year for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a non-profit that pushes to limit tobacco use.

David Hayes, deputy interior secretary nominee, was registered to lobby until 2006 for clients, including the regional utility San Diego Gas & Electric.

Mark Patterson, chief of staff to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, was registered to lobby as recently as last year for financial giant Goldman Sachs.

Ron Klain, chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, was registered to lobby until 2005 for clients, including the Coalition for Asbestos Resolution, U.S. Airways, Airborne Express and drug-maker ImClone.

Mona Sutphen, deputy White House Chief of Staff, was registered to lobby for clients, including Angliss International in 2003.

Melody Barnes, domestic policy council director, lobbied in 2003 and 2004 for liberal advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the American Constitution Society and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Cecilia Munoz, White House director of intergovernmental affairs, was a lobbyist as recently as last year for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.