tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post1706945008757767099..comments2023-12-30T21:07:49.487-07:00Comments on Arizona 8th: From Pelosi's "Ethical Congress"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-83063339492081417722007-06-15T14:14:00.000-07:002007-06-15T14:14:00.000-07:00Nope ... the earmarks are going to be made availa...Nope ... the earmarks are going to be made available to all, and are going to have a chance for debate and striking in the committees, which is a hell of a lot more than the Republican-controlled Congress did.<BR/><BR/>Having said that, if the earmarks aren't made available prior to floor debate _next_ year, then there are no excuses.Siroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690606094337353266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-55212788066739570052007-06-15T13:03:00.000-07:002007-06-15T13:03:00.000-07:00The concern about delays is a cop out. Republicans...The concern about delays is a cop out. Republicans even asked to put the earmark lists on the internet, but the Democrats refused. This is clearly an attempt to hide earmarks, however it is couched.AZAcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04702924818232398832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-83191562241539049292007-06-15T08:09:00.000-07:002007-06-15T08:09:00.000-07:00Not gonna defend Jefferson, he needs to go. For so...Not gonna defend Jefferson, he needs to go. For some inexplicable reason, however, his district re-elected him. Sigh.<BR/><BR/>As to earmarks, though, here's some info you don't mention:<BR/><BR/>1) At the start of the new session, Congress passed the toughest anti-earmark guidelines ever.<BR/><BR/>2) In the nine(I think) spending bills completed in January, not a single earmark was placed on them.<BR/><BR/>3) Because the prior Congress _intentionally_ refused to pass needed budget bills, the process of reviewing earmarks on the next one was significantly delayed. Since matters for the fiscal year were already well behind, the decision was made to let things advance at this point without listing all the earmarks.<BR/><BR/>That doesn't mean they won't be listed. They will be made available well in advance of conference committees convening. Any ridiculous earmark can at that time be addressed in the motion to instruct conferees. Any member of the committee can force debate and can make a move to strike any earmark (something provided for in the new rules from last Jan.)<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>The upshot -- the choice was to go forward without having the earmark lists available prior to floor consideration BUT still having them available for committees OR delaying the full budget consideration for some months. This choice was forced as a DIRECT result of the irresponsibility of the last (Republican led) Congress in deliberately refusing to pass necessary budget items.Siroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01690606094337353266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28821987.post-43894704539598342402007-06-14T17:54:00.000-07:002007-06-14T17:54:00.000-07:00The Democrats deserve their low ratings. So does ...The Democrats deserve their low ratings. So does Bush.Lizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14605279152700363635noreply@blogger.com