Sometime Thursday, a big fight will erupt on the House floor. According to this memo, the fight will be over earmarks. Here’s an outline of the fight:

“House Republicans regret Speaker Pelosi’s decision to keep the earmark factory open. Middle-class families are fed up with Washington politicians squandering their hard-earned money, particularly at a time when families are struggling with the rising cost of living. We need to bring fundamental change to the way Washington spends the American people’s money, but this change cannot begin until the earmarks stop. Republicans hope rank-and-file Democrats will honor the promises they made in 2006, and join us in voting to halt the broken earmark process so it can be reformed,” Boehner said.

“It’s become evident to the American people, as well as a good many of us in Congress, that the system Congress uses to dole out earmarks is badly broken and in need of thorough, fundamental reform. Unfortunately, it’s also evident that Democrats in Congress have demonstrated neither the will nor the appetite to work with Republicans in bringing about that change voluntarily. So it’s incumbent upon us to use every opportunity available to speak up for the millions of Americans who have had enough,” said Blunt.

It’s long past time to eliminate earmarks because they’re the biggest source of corruption. Corruption specialists like John Murtha certainly will howl about the GOP’s attempt to limit earmarks. Frankly, I’d hope that they’d wear that as a badge of honor.

Last year, it was easy for freshmen Democrats to vote for earmark reform because it wasn’t truly reform. A year later, we can point out that the omnibus spending bill contained a monstrous increase in airdropped earmarks, which weren’t part of the original legislation. Instead, they were ‘airdropped’ into the conference report so they couldn’t be debated on the merits. Here’s what the House GOP is doing to complicate things for swing district Democrats:

Three GOP members of the House Appropriations Committee, Reps. Jack Kingston of Georgia, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Zack Wamp of Tennessee, have authored legislation that would bring the earmark process to a halt and establish a panel to identify ways to permanently change the spending process. Kingston-Wolf-Wamp has been cosponsored by 129 House Republicans, including the entire House Republican leadership team. However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who as leader of the Democrat-controlled House has the power to shut down the chamber’s earmarking process immediately, declined to support the measure or the proposed moratorium.

I said a year ago that the earmark reform bill wouldn’t make corruption machines like John Murtha miss a beat. Last year, it was a prediction. Now, it’s verifiable fact. This being an election year, it’s a safe bet that a 527 or a candidate or the NRCC will point out how Democrats didn’t keep their promise of cleaning up Washington. It’s equally certain that someone will point out the GOP’s reform agenda. (I suspect that that someone will point it out repeatedly. )

That isn’t insignificant at a time when the economy is slowing and people want to keep taxes and spending steady.

Technorati Tags: Earmarks, John Murtha, Corruption, John Boehner, Reforms, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

1. I’m all for the reform, and more; however, it is more than disingenuous of the Republicans to cry “foul” when they, the Republicans, were responsible for a significant portion of those earmarks.

   I get the feeling that the Republicans’ displeasure is that the donkeys got more earmarks than them, a perk of being in power (just like it was when the Republicans held the majority).

   It is especially ironic that Mr. Boehner is the main complainer, since he had the power to stop it when he was majority leader.

   Hypocrites. And vipers.

   Comment by Carlos — February 7, 2008 @ 4:11 pm

2. What the hell does that matter Carlos? At least SOMEFUCKINGBODY is trying to stop the pork. We will NEVER see a Demoncrap asshat try to control the pork EVEH!

   Dumbasses and Crapweasels…

   Dont you have some Daily KOS crap to attend to fool?

   Comment by Mitch the Bitch — February 7, 2008 @ 4:35 pm