The Senate on Tuesday shot down a Republican measure that would have frozen federal spending at 2008 levels for the current fiscal year, preferring to stick with an omnibus package that increases spending by about 8 percent. Sen. Barbara Boxer, California Democrat, said during the debate that the spending-freeze amendment would have been the same as "looking backward, going in reverse. It doesn't make sense." Democrats said higher sending was vital to responding to the economic crisis. The amendment, which Sen. John McCain offered to replace the $410 billion omnibus bill that would fund most of the government until the...