Senate Republicans Hijack Earmark Reform

Senate Republicans hijacked the earmark reform process yesterday.  From the Times:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 — After campaigning for months on a promise to tighten ethics rules, Senate Democratic leaders tried unsuccessfully Thursday to block a measure that would shine a light on the shadowy practice of earmarking federal money for lawmakers’ pet projects.

Last week the House Democrats passed an unexpectedly broad change to their chamber’s rules that would disclose the size, purpose and sponsor of any earmark.

But on Thursday, when Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, introduced the same thing in the Senate, Democratic leaders moved quickly to squash it, calling the House bill ill thought out.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, said he was happy to see the House “moving things along very quickly.” But, Mr. Reid said, “frankly, I don’t think they spent the time on this that we have.”

The Democratic leaders’ effort to block the DeMint proposal was defeated by a vote of 51 to 46, surprising almost everyone in the Senate. The outcome reflected the keen desire of many lawmakers to appear to be on the side of openness and reform after an election that turned in part on Congressional corruption scandals.

It was a motion to table the bill and the Times won't tell you how Senators Clinton and Obama voted, so I will - Hillary was on the losing "Yea" side, and Obama was among the winners (let's get used to it) with a "Nay".  St. John McCain was also among the winners.

I am sure the Times editors will laud this bipatisan push for ethics reform in a potent editorial, and maybe even name names.

MORE:  The AP notes Obama.

Comments

[jerry]

I think this got solved:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002331.php

[Specter]

OT slightly: Tic...Toc...Tic...Toc...46 Hours gone, Republicans steal the earmark show in the Senate, Nancy fails to rein in corruption under her reign, Silvestre still doesn't know what a Sunni is, and still NO PLAN FOR IRAQ. That 100 hours is going by pretty quickly. Great Leaders they are. In the words of the DNC Chairman: AIIIIIIIYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEE

[Specter]

OOOPs....even though almost 48 hours of session time has gone by, Nancy seems to think that only 17 hours should be taken off the clock! I guess it is more of those business-hours kindof timing thingies....

[Terrye]

Wait a minute. I read somewhere in my travels that the Senate Democrats with Kennedy in the lead killed Pelosi's plan.

[ed]

Hmmm.

Personally I'd like to see the House Republicans submit a bill to raise the minimum wage in only America Samoa. It would be pretty interesting to have Pelosi kill that bill. Particularly with all those questions about how a tuna canning company, with HQ in Pelosi's district, that operates in America Samoa has seemed to have benefited from the minimum wage hike because their workers are exempt.

[maryrose]

stem-cell -belly up because House can't stop veto. Earmark reform -toast because Senate dems stop it-kudos to Jim DeMint who also supports the "Surge".
minimum wage- Senate will add tax breaks-Baucas says so...
NEXT....
Obviously Reid didn't get the memo of 6 for 06. And of course there is that HUGE earmark land deal in Nevada he doesn't want to lose out on...

[Patton]

Shouldn't we be getting a Libby trial post going here.
Predictions?

What bloggers are attending?

Did Libby kill his web site? Does that therefore mean he is guilty as charged and no trial is necessary, hang him outside Democrat underground headquarters at dawn.

[obtainable through the correct steps]

De Mint? The money is moving?

I think kthey need to do this for classified stuff too, like CIA funding through USAID. Afghanistan was all funded to dem friends.

[PeterUK]

Jimmy Carter Democrat ear marking?

[Jane]

When will it become acceptable to call Jimmy Carter a traitor, as he is.

[PeterUK]

I thought he was a Democrat.

[Rick Ballard]

Peter,

Too easy.

[maryrose]

If this were happening during FDR's presidency the current dems would be accused of treason.
Carter: a mere footnote in history. Useless president, good for habitat for humanity.

[PeterUK]

"Carter: a mere footnote in history. "

I think that should be "footstool".

[clarice]

The website just changed its address..I think it's now scooterlibby.com.

[topsecretk9]

Kristoff live to lie another day...

McLEAN, Va. (AP) -- A federal judge on Friday dismissed a libel lawsuit filed against The New York Times by a former Army scientist once identified as a person of interest in the 2001 anthrax attacks.

U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton in Alexandria dismissed the case a week after lawyers for the Times argued that Steven Hatfill should be considered a public figure under libel law, which makes it much more difficult for a public figure to win a judgment than a private citizen.

The judge did not explain his ruling in the order issued Friday.

Hatfill's lawyers had argued that even if Hatfill qualified as a public figure, they could still prevail at trial because they had uncovered serious flaws in the reporting of columnist Nicholas Kristof.

[MayBee]

Shouldn't we be getting a Libby trial post going here.
Predictions?

Well, there's a new Murray Waas story up. Nothing much new, but he either is making stuff up or he has a contact in the Prosecutor's office who is leaking (oh no! leaking classified information!) to him.

Maybe Tom could use that.

[MayBee]

Brilliant move by DeMint.

Also, the video of Cantor asking if Samoa would be exempt from the stem cell bill, and Barney Frank going bezerk? I could watch it all day. Hilarious.

[Patton]

Cantor should have asked Barney Frank if he would exempt Samoa from gay marriage?

Since the people obviously don't make enough money to maintain a family.

I bet those Samoans dining on cat food tonight sure are loving Barney Frank and dearest Speaker Pelosi.

[Rick Ballard]

Pattone - That's Speaker Starkist - give the head tuna her due.

[clarice]

Can you review the achievements of this "100 hours of glory"?

Earmarks--Flop for Pelosi and signs of division in the Dem ranks

Minimum wage--Flop and embarrassment for Nancy
Tax hikes--Rangel doesn't want them. He wants a draft (Flop for Rangel)

Appointment of Mollohan to oversee FBI. He recuses self from FBI budget. Focuses on Dem corruption and "recsal satisfies no one"

No surge--embarrassment as people everywhere show the same anti-surgers asking for a surge just last mnth.

Katrina focus--Barney claims Reps committing genocide by hurricane--another flop and embarrassment

Oversight-Boxer flops suggesting sngle women are unqualified to make decisions about war.
More exposure, please.

[MayBee]

Oh wait. I think it might have been McHenry. I don't know who it was, he was kinda cute though.

[topsecretk9]

Hilarious Dem Underground post alert:

CatWoman (1000+ posts) Fri Jan-12-07 01:57 PM Original message I've got a wingnut on my ass, need help can someone tell me why American Samoa was exempt from minimum wage increase?

I need to kick this wingnut in his ass:

By Paul

January 12, 2007 01:40 PM | Link to this

Still no justification of Pelosi’s exploiting American Samoa workers to increase the profitabililty of a large corporation located in her district?

And the difference between a Pelosi and a big business Republican is what, exactly? That the Republican admits it?

You go Paul!

[topsecretk9]

Earmarks--Flop for Pelosi and signs of division in the Dem ranks

Seriously. Republicans more effective minority than the majority? Fine by me.

[clarice]

Remember the Roberts and Alito hearings? Imagine them now that Bigen and Dodd and likely Kerry are running.

I want first dibs on the JOM popcorn concession.

[Sue]

Top,

Bwahahaha! I've got a wingnut on my ass

Freakin' hilarious.

[clarice]

**BiDen**

[lurker]

Don't forget Kennedy and Boxer, Clarice.

And Feinstein!

[lurker]

James Webb of Deceit

From Riehl World

[maryrose]

Senator Lott as a new minority leader says he knows how to be effective in getting the votes he needs and how to run roughshod over the majority. let the games begin.
This whole surge idea has caught the dems unprepared and flatfooted. See they don't know how to do foreign policy they are just domestic.
Pelosi protecting tuna manufacturing for her district... Isn't that some kind of earmark preference. This is the same person who voted against all the tax cuts and then went home to her constituents and took credit for cutting taxes.Little Red Riding Hood -indeed.

[Sue]

Senator Lott as a new minority leader says he knows how to be effective in getting the votes he needs and how to run roughshod over the majority.

Senator Lott voted with Harry Reid. And Hillary Clinton. And Teddy Hiccup Kennedy.

[Rick Ballard]

Mitch McConnell is the Minority Leader. Lott is the Minority Whip.

If the votes are there to defeat a measure without the Leader or Whip's vote then you can expect some very political (smile while slipping the stiletto in) votes from both of them.

"Gosh, how'd that happen, Trent?"

"Darned if I know, Mitch - we're just trying to get along. Let Harry know that we'll try harder next time."

[garytheyoung]

Actually, there are sound reasons for exempting American Samoa and its tuna industry from federal minimum wage law. Trouble is, those same reasons might apply to any number of American businesses and industries. But they will have to pay the wage anyway.

[Terrye]

We must remember however, there are not a lot of electoral votes in Somoa. Which makes them as worthless as women without children.

[richard mcenroe]

specter -- hey, at least Nancy put that bitch Harman in her place. Time to tighten up the Congressional Women's Auxialiary, ladies...

[ed]

Hmmmm.

It's a pretty strange story when Republicans are the ones forcing Democrats to accept principles set forth by Nancy Pelosi.

I think the phrase "strange bedfellows" is horribly inadequate.

[MayBee]

garytheyoung- good point.

[Oldcrow]

Actually, there are sound reasons for exempting American Samoa and its tuna industry from federal minimum wage law.
Posted by: garytheyoung | January 12, 2007 at 08:40 PM

Yah like 17 million of them which just happens to be the amount of clams your Hubby is in for with the biggest Tuna company on the islands parent company Del Monte.

[clarice]

Nancy "starkissed" Pelosi

[MayBee]

Oldcrow- where did you get info on Mr. Pelosi and the 17 million?

[Neo]

Let's get real .. it's a lot more fun (in a juvenile way) being in the minority.

You get to stick it to "the man" or woman.