By FITSNews || The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly voted to continue anonymously sneaking pet projects into appropriations bills and pieces of major legislation, a process known as “earmarking.” U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) had proposed a one-year moratorium on the costly practice, which was in keeping with a campaign promise made by then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama.
Unfortunately, Obama has bailed on his earmark promise completely since becoming president, and the Senate easily fended off the proposal by a 68-29 vote.
The defeat of the amendment means that literally thousands of spending items will be attached to legislation this year with no review of their merits – a recipe for billions of dollars in pork barrel spending.
“The trust in our government is at an all-time low, and the earmarks that we send across the country are mostly with borrowed money,” Demint said. “With all of our debt, the corruption, the waste, every American has a right to question what we’re doing right now.”
Damn straight.
Fifteen “Republican” Senators voted against DeMint’s amendment, while four Democratic Senators voted with DeMint: Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Evan Bayh of Indiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Ted Kaufman of Delaware.
By countryboy March 17, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Don’t hold your breath waiting on earmarks to be outlawed. Ain’t gonna happen, ever. It’s how the whores stay in office.
By beetrave March 17, 2010 at 10:08 pm
It is an embarrassment to both parties that the only member of the Senate who can really champion a ban on earmarks is a circus freak like Jim DeMint. You might as well leave most voters with no alternative at all.