GOP Earmarkers' Crucial to Passing Spending Bill

摘要

The $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill passed the Senate last Tuesday night on a voice vote after cloture - ending debate and dashing a Republican-led filibuster to kill the bill - was invoked mere minutes before by a vote of 62-35. At least five of the six Republicans (all but Olympia Snowe of Maine) sold out for the price of their own personal pet pork projects scattered throughout the over 9,000 earmarks in the bill, crossing over to join the Democrats in driving yet another stake through the heart of the nation's economy by endorsing the majority's out-of-control spending.