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**icerrelmCam** · 01-14-2007, 04:16 PM

So after months and months of campaigning on fiscal responsiblity and transparency the Senate Democrats made themselves out to be complete hypocrates this week. After the House passed a strong and sweeping bill that would give the American people disclosure to Congressional earmarks, the Democratic Leadership in the Senate was apparently against allowing us all to see how much of our money they waste on pork barrel spending in the name of their own reelection aspirations. When Republican Senator Jim DeMint offered an amendment to toughen the much weaker Senate bill and match it to the full strength of the passed House bill Reid and Durbin had a fit and tried to squash the amendment my tabling it. Much to their surprise, their effort embarrassingly failed. This is but a piece of the article. There is much more to read in the link.

WASHINGTON - The Senate's new Democratic leaders, the fragility of their thin majority on display for the first time, were set back Thursday when nine Democrats joined with Republicans in support of stricter House-passed rules on lawmakers' pet projects

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was forced to delay a final vote on a measure he opposes after losing 51-46 a parliamentary attempt to kill it.

The measure, an amendment to an ethics and lobbying bill, would have adopted a wider definition of "earmarks," specific projects inserted in bills, to include Corps of Engineer water projects, Pentagon weapon systems and items from other federal entities.

The language favored by Reid would require disclosure of only targeted funds directed to nonfederal entities such as city parks, state universities and private contractors. Reid crafted the ethics bill with Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but McConnell supported DeMint on the earmarks issue.

"If we're going to go through all this process, if we're going to change the laws and try to tell the American people that now you can see what we're doing, let's don't try to pull the wool over their eyes," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., sponsor of the amendment.

Senate Democrats stumble on earmarks - Politics - MSNBC.com After the move to kill the DeMint language failed, Democrats refused to allow the amendment to be approved by voice, a normal procedure, and an hour later Reid called the entire Senate to the floor to beseech them to reconsider. He did not set a time for a final vote. Someone should ask Reid why he was lying to the American people for the past year as he and his party were out trumpeting fiscal reform and transparency. We should also be asking why Reid, Durbin, and the majority of Senate Democrats are against the American people being allowed to know where our tax dollars are going?

01-14-2007, 04:16 PM	#1
icerrelmCam Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 467 Senior Member	Senate Dems Try To Kill Earmark Reform So after months and months of campaigning on fiscal responsiblity and transparency the Senate Democrats made themselves out to be complete hypocrates this week. After the House passed a strong and sweeping bill that would give the American people disclosure to Congressional earmarks, the Democratic Leadership in the Senate was apparently against allowing us all to see how much of our money they waste on pork barrel spending in the name of their own reelection aspirations. When Republican Senator Jim DeMint offered an amendment to toughen the much weaker Senate bill and match it to the full strength of the passed House bill Reid and Durbin had a fit and tried to squash the amendment my tabling it. Much to their surprise, their effort embarrassingly failed. This is but a piece of the article. There is much more to read in the link. WASHINGTON - The Senate's new Democratic leaders, the fragility of their thin majority on display for the first time, were set back Thursday when nine Democrats joined with Republicans in support of stricter House-passed rules on lawmakers' pet projects Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was forced to delay a final vote on a measure he opposes after losing 51-46 a parliamentary attempt to kill it. The measure, an amendment to an ethics and lobbying bill, would have adopted a wider definition of "earmarks," specific projects inserted in bills, to include Corps of Engineer water projects, Pentagon weapon systems and items from other federal entities. The language favored by Reid would require disclosure of only targeted funds directed to nonfederal entities such as city parks, state universities and private contractors. Reid crafted the ethics bill with Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but McConnell supported DeMint on the earmarks issue. "If we're going to go through all this process, if we're going to change the laws and try to tell the American people that now you can see what we're doing, let's don't try to pull the wool over their eyes," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., sponsor of the amendment. Senate Democrats stumble on earmarks - Politics - MSNBC.com After the move to kill the DeMint language failed, Democrats refused to allow the amendment to be approved by voice, a normal procedure, and an hour later Reid called the entire Senate to the floor to beseech them to reconsider. He did not set a time for a final vote. Someone should ask Reid why he was lying to the American people for the past year as he and his party were out trumpeting fiscal reform and transparency. We should also be asking why Reid, Durbin, and the majority of Senate Democrats are against the American people being allowed to know where our tax dollars are going?
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