[TheBattman]

and a right under the power of the purse awarded to Congress by the Founding Fathers.

Someone point that "right" out in the US Constitution for me please.

[AFPhys]

Section. 8.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—<>-—

Like it or not, here it is... Courts have supported the Hamiltonian view that “general Welfare” is very broad in scope, and that earmarks are fine and dandy as long as they promote “general Welfare of the United States”. Madison argued for a much more narrow interpretation, but the courts have not supported his argument.