With earmarks making up only 1/2 of one percent of the federal budget - reform will bring less than a quarter penny on the dollar, at best. 
Compared to the military budget, earmarks are a joke. When billions go missing in Iraq, why are we so focussed on Earmarks?
Democrats must keep their eye on the ball and refocus the argument to the overall federal budget, the abuse of contracting procedure by the Bush Whitehouse, and the docile Republican Congress who did not reform federal Spending. As a longtime Senator, if McCain really was a Maverick and reformer he should have gone after wasteful federal spending that goes to the Military Industrial Complex, not earmarks.
Halliburton, KBR, etc. have gotten way more pork than anyone and McCain hasn't been there to stop it. This IS his responsibility as a Senator and he failed. Instead he focussed on Earmarks - not going to reform the budget at a quarter penny on the dollar - not real reform.