Senate Democrats stumble on earmarks

[opusprime]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16593277/

WASHINGTON - The Senate's new Democratic leaders, the fragility of their thin majority on display for the first time, were set back Thursday when nine Democrats joined with Republicans in support of stricter House-passed rules on lawmakers' pet projects

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was forced to delay a final vote on a measure he opposes after losing 51-46 a parliamentary attempt to kill it.

The measure, an amendment to an ethics and lobbying bill, would have adopted a wider definition of "earmarks," specific projects inserted in bills, to include Corps of Engineer water projects, Pentagon weapon systems and items from other federal entities.

The language favored by Reid would require disclosure of only targeted funds directed to nonfederal entities such as city parks, state universities and private contractors. Reid crafted the ethics bill with Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., but McConnell supported DeMint on the earmarks issue.

-snip-

Gotta say I'm with John Kerry and Jon Tester on this one...

[lancdem]

1. Me too

[Demit]

2. Reid has since acceded to DeMint's bill. See link—

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002331.php

[opusprime]

3. Thanks for the update...

Good to know he reversed himself. He seems to be doing alot of that lately.