Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said the vote on whether or not to ban earmarks will be the first test as to whether members fully grasp the lessons of the midterm elections.
The Republican Conference is scheduled to vote on the ban at their weekly meeting Tuesday.
"If we can't decide as a federal government that it's not our job to pave local parking lots and build local museums then we don't understand what constitutional limited government is," DeMint said at a Tea Party rally just outside the Capital Monday. "If the Senate Republicans fail to pass a ban on earmarks tomorrow, obviously they have not gotten the message."
The debate over the proposed ban, led by DeMint and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has already exposed fissures among Republicans in the Senate.
DeMint hinted Monday that Republicans who aren't supportive of the ban could face trouble if they have to face voters in two years, but said he's confident the ban will win approval on Tuesday, led by the newly-elected crop of GOP Senators.
"2012 is going to make what just happened look small if we continue what we started," DeMint predicted.
Voters listed a reduction in spending as one of their top concerns this election cycle; several Republican candidates ran successful campaigns based on that issue. There's more here
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I will predict now that "earmarks" will continue. Politicians are STILL politicians, no matter how much they try to paint themselves as something else. How can you campaign for re-election when you can't tell your constituents how much gravy you brought to their dinner table? This is all showboat antics to make people think someone is doing something...
ReplyDeleteNo, they may stop briefly-- you'll note that McConnell agreed to a 'moratorium'.
ReplyDeleteIt will take lots more pressure to get a BAN.
Our government is TOTALLY corrupt in every way.
ReplyDeleteEarmarks are a straw man.
ReplyDelete