Eight GOP senators vote to keep earmarks

[ProSense]

Eight GOP senators vote to keep earmarks

By Jordan Fabian

Eight Republican senators on Tuesday voted to preserve earmark spending despite pressure from the Tea Party movement.

Sens. Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), James Inhofe (Okla.), Dick Lugar (Ind.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Richard Shelby (Ala.) voted against an amendment to food-safety legislation that would have enacted a two-year ban on the spending items. Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (Ohio) and defeated Sen. Bob Bennett (Utah) also voted against it.

Senate Republican had already passed a voluntary earmark ban, but Tuesday's vote shows that the conference is still divided over the issue. The overall Senate proposal failed 39-56.

Even though earmarks represent a small portion of overall discretionary spending, Tea Party activists have pressured lawmakers to outlaw the practice, saying it is a good way to start reining in high spending.

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[alcibiades_mystery]

1. I love how Bennett is sticking it to thew Tea Party here

They ousted him in Utah's preposterous "primary" system, when he would have clearly won the general. Hell, I thought Bennett might have won a write in, a la Murkowski. Now he's sticking a finger in their eye. Kind of amusing.

Wonder what the Tea Imbeciles will think of Inhofe's vote here. He certainly fits their mold in the batshit, anti-science department.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. "Tea imbeciles"..wow, that is perfect.

[Mass]

2. Good for them. This was the correct vote. Earmarks should be debated and voted upon.

But they should not necessarily be banned.

[Major Hogwash]

4. Just a 2 year ban. Hahahahaha!!!!!!! Like they thought they could stall it until 2012!

"Then, when we get the White House back 2 years from now, the earmarks will expire, and we can run up the bills!"
"Good plan, Mitch."
"Yeah, I thought so."

[zoechen]

5. Luger

Don't worry...Luger is going to get primaried.

[mahina]

6. Kabuki.

Earmarks aren't going anywhere.

We need publicly financed campaigns now!