Posted on 05/04/2006 6:08:25 PM PDT by Mobile Vulgus
Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) and been trying to shed light on the murky world of "earmarking" and from N.Z.Bear's www.porkbusters.org we have the latest report card on Sen. Coburn's efforts.
It's sort of hard to get the public's interest on this issue because it is so technical and not an issue easily sloganed or 10 second sound-bited. "Earmarks" don't sound very ominous, for sure. But these earmarks are rotten to the core and usage of this spending convention is one of the things that is bleeding us dry and is responsible for some of the worst waste in government. When Congress allows its members to hide spending in bills by attaching these earmarks we all lose. (Worse, these "earmarked" spending additions NEVER have anything to do with the bill that they are attached to. It is just plain waste and fraud.)
So, here is Bear's report on the Republican Senators who refuse to support the elimination of earmarks:
(Click on the Senator's name to contact them via their Senate E-Mail form) Wayne Allard (R-CO) Bob Bennett (R-UT) Kit Bond (R-MO) Thad Cochran (R-MS) Norm Coleman (R-MN) Susan Collins (R-ME) Pete Domenici (R-NM) Trent Lott (R-MS) Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) Richard Shelby (R-AL) Gordon Smith (R-OR) Olympia Snowe (R-ME) Arlen Specter (R-PA) Ted Stevens (R-AK) David Vitter (R-LA)
There have been three rounds of earmark amendments called the "Coburn Clay Pidgeon" amendments. One was defeated, and two are still being determined. There are 16 all told. The above 15 Senators have voted against all three presented thus far.
Of course, for the bulk of those names it is no surprise that they are all in for big spending as these are some of the worst RINOs in the Senate. It's a shame, though, that Norm Coleman is on that list as a wild spending protector. But, the worst one is Trent Lott. Since Katrina, Lott has gone wild with spending and he is angling to take back his spot as leader of the Senate for the GOP, too. Lott taking back his leadership position would usher in a giant new wave of spending that we need to head off.
So, take some time to email all these Senators and shame them for not supporting Coburn's amendments.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.