Earmark dispute splits GOP senators

[Contrary1]

Maestro; please begin... :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity:


Debate over pet projects divides Old Bulls, newer Tea Party-backed lawmakers

"WASHINGTON — Even as they prepare to welcome 13 newly elected Republicans into their ranks, GOP senators have already fired the opening salvos in an intraparty ideological battle over federal spending — one that threatens to divide the upper chamber’s Old Bulls and newer Tea Party-aligned members.

South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, a champion of conservative candidates like Florida’s Marco Rubio and Utah’s Mike Lee, announced Tuesday that he will push Senate Republicans to vote to make “earmarking” — the process by which lawmakers can set aside federal funds for pet projects in their home states — expressly against internal GOP rules.

Six of the new GOP freshmen, including five who received backing from DeMint during their campaigns, have signed on to his proposal.

But, while DeMint and other Senate fiscal conservatives argue that so-dubbed “pork barrel spending” wastes taxpayer dollars and facilitates fishy political back-scratching, other Republicans say that a ban would do little to curb government spending and would put more control into the hands of government agencies rather than lawmakers who best understand their constituents..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40128623/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

[gratuitous]

1. Two questions offered free of charge to our faultless talking chuckleheads of the media

1. What is an "earmark"?

2. What percentage of federal spending constitutes all "earmarks"?

And a follow up: Why does this topic so preoccupy the little minds of the media chuckleheads?

[SidDithers]

2. K&R...nt

Sid

[Fuzz]

3. Meet the new Republican House, same as the old Republican House.

And the brain dead tea-baggers are outraged wanting to replace the 'rinos' again. Wonder if they will bring up 2nd amendment remedies to rectify this situation?