House Republicans announced they will not request any so-called earmarks in an election-year attempt to outdo Democrats in clamping down on the practice of adding money for pet projects to legislation.The Democrat party:Republicans agreed to a moratorium in a closed-door meeting today, said Representative Jerry Lewis of California, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee.
Republican leaders issued a joint statement yesterday urging their colleagues to give up projects they called "a symbol of broken Washington."
Lewis, a prominent defender of the earmarking practice, told reporters earlier today he was supporting the moratorium because "you guys paint the picture one way -- we've got to be responsive."
Hmmm...It was good news to hear that House Democrats had adopted a ban on earmarks to for-profit companies. The bad news is their version of a ban wouldn't apply to 90 percent of all earmarks.
Instead of adopting an all-out ban on earmarks House Democrats have decided to ban earmarks for for-profit entities, while continuing to green light funding for the next Bridge to Nowhere, ACORN or to clear the way for the Napa Valley Wine train.
House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey told reporters Wednesday the ban would have stripped 1,000 earmarks from the last budget. What he didn't say is that President Obama signed 11,320 earmarks, worth nearly $32 billion, into law last year.
...The truth is that Democrats want the public to believe they're committed to ending the culture of corruption without actually doing it.
There's my two cents.
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