Republicans in the House have already pledged to ban earmarks, and the Senate GOP has adopted a "voluntary" ban on earmarks within the caucus, and yet, in spite of the tremendous public outcry over earmarks and the need for Republicans to finally "get it", eight GOP senators decided to thwart the will of the people, and voted with the liberals.
Here is the Senate Republicans Hall of Shame from this vote:
Bob Bennett (R-UT)
Lost re-election this year
Dick Lugar (R-IN)
Up for re-election in 2012
George Voinovich (R-OH)
Did not run for re-election
Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
Up for re-election in 2014
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Lost re-election in 2010 primary, presumed general election victor as write-in
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Won re-election this year
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Up for re-election in 2014
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Up for re-election in 2014
The following Democrats supported Coburn's earmark ban: Evan Bayh (D-IN), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Bill Belson (D-FL), Mark Udall (D-CO) and Mark Warner (D-VA). Bayh did not run for re-election, and Feingold lost his re-election bid.
Senators Kit Bond (R-MO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) missed the vote.
I'm mixed on this and I am very conservative. I've listened to Inhofe's reasoning, talked with his office extensively, and I believe his claim that if there are no earmarks, the money will still be there to be sent back to the Executive Branch for bureaucratic disbursement.
ReplyDeleteHe basically says that until earmarks for political donors are closed, and until the proper authorization and appropriations processes are made mandatory, we will funnel money to the hands of unelected Liberals (elected Liberals would be bad enough.)
I believe there is some merit in that position. I read that Boehner is going to really shake-up appropriations, demand each earmark has it's own hearing, etc. Perhaps this will go a long way to fight what Inhofe complains of.
Maggie - I recommend reading these previous posts on earmarks: Inhofe on Earmarks: 2008 and 2010 and Coburn: Earmark Myths and Realities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Maggie. The process of earmarking obviously needs work, but it is ridiculous to put that money into the hands of unelected officials to decide how it should be spent. Jamison, it seems that your allegiance to Coburn might be clouding your thinking a bit on this one. Coburn's list of myths and realities wasn't really well thought out.
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