Wanted to get the pulse of the community. I came into the field after they went away. I would think the contracting workforce would have to touch them at some point. I know some good journalist lost their jobs over in-depth reporting on them at one point. My initial thought is "bad." 

Good, bad or indifferent?

Congressional earmarks are coming back — with new constraints (axios.com)

1 hour ago, Constricting Officer said:

Good, bad or indifferent?

Politics. Good? Yes, if you are on the receiving end. Bad? No, if you are on the receiving end.

See Congressional Research Service, Earmarks in Appropriations, https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/m012606.pdf

Earmarks posed some tough justification for non-competitive procurement issues in my next to last government job.  Several times the agency received unasked funding for large dollar contracting actions.  They were essentially sole source actions but the appropriation bills didn’t specifically say sole source - just said here’s money to do X.