Now, the primo question is, will he sustain it, or will it be the usual, ie, a few shots across the bow?
(The Hill) House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) yesterday moved to “declare war†on the appropriations earmarks process set by House Democrats last week, vowing to use parliamentary procedures to delay and potentially thwart spending bills.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) threatened to keep the House in session through the weekend to get four pending appropriations bills done this week.
“Enough is enough,†Boehner said, adding that the new process does not allow adequate time for members to review earmarks before they are included in the spending bill. “They’ve traded earmark transparency for earmark secrecy, and American taxpayers deserve better.â€
Republicans have criticized House Democrats for offering to add earmarks in during conference, when they cannot be formally challenged on the floor. Money has been set aside for the projects in the bills, leading Republicans to accuse Democrats of creating “slush funds.â€
Most. Ethical. Congress. Ever. Or so said Nance Pelosi. The earmarks may not be illegal, but they are certainly unethical, especially as the Democrats are trying to ram them through.
Let’s not forget that the federal agency that monitored pork barrel spending stopped that practive when Democrats took over. Syncronisity?
Here’s hoping that Boehnor will initiate a sustained offensive against the Democrats on this subject (and then continue the practice on other subjects, too), rather then pull a Clinton-in-Somalia.
But the earmarks cannot be stricken from a conference report on a floor vote. Instead, appropriators would have to be persuaded by fellow members or public criticism. Obey said it’s still a more open process, citing high-profile efforts by Appropriations Committee members Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) and imprisoned ex-Rep. Randy “Duke†Cunningham (R-Calif.) to secure earmarks.
“It took you a couple of years to find out what Duke Cunningham did,†Obey told reporters. “It took you a year to find Don Young’s highway in Florida.â€
Obey goes for a little bit of RDS: Republican Deflection Syndrome. Anytime Dems are accused of anything, they immediately deflect to a Republican, rather then "man up" and discuss the issue in a rational, adult, introspective manner.
Previously here.
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