Archive for March 10th, 2009

8 GOPorkers cross the aisle to pass $410B Spendibus

OK, well, Snowe just voted on principle I guess. 

Here they are:

Thad Cochran (R-MS) $76 M
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) $4 M
Kit Bond (R-MO) $86 M
Olympia Snow (R-ME) $0 M
Richard Shelby (R-AL) $114 M
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) $74 M
Arlen Specter (R-PA) $25 M
Roger Wicker (R-MS) $5 M

Three Dems also crossed the aisle to vote against the bill — Evan Bayh (D-IN), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

Michelle has more on some of the amendments attempted, particularly the one on DC school choice program (vouchers).

Update: I just want to clarify the above numbers represent the total dollar amount of earmarks each Senator sponsored individually.

Update II: Hot Air has more, pointing out that not only did these 8 GOPers vote to preserve their own projects, but they also voted to give many federal agencies big, fat raises.  I’m afraid that when the next budget is being considered, these agencies will have spent every penny given to them through Porkulus and Spendibus in this fiscal year.  That way, they can require even more money in the next budget, claiming they ran out of money this year.  These “temporary” spending programs are going to leave a permanent mark.

Senators vote to continue their automatic payraises

Well, to be fair, they voted to table an amendment to the $410B earmark-laden Spendibus bill that would have ended the automatic process put in decades ago.  Sen. Vitter (R-LA) proposed the amendment because Pelosi said that the Spendibus would be all or nothing.  She would not allow additional amendments in conference committee, so the Senate had to pass a “clean” bill. 

We all know it was a political stunt by Vitter to force the Senators to be on the record voting against this amendment.  I think it was a great tactic — Democrats do this kind of stuff all the time, especially since they can set the calendar at to which bills even make it to the floor for an up or down vote.  Sen. Reid (D-NV) did all he could to get Vitter to allow for this to be voted separately, even offering to vote on it right that second.  Vitter said no, and the vote went ahead, but not before Vitter said, “If you want to change the law that puts our payraises on autopilot while [the people] suffer … vote for this amendment.  If you want to kill that concept, vote against the amendment.”

The amendment was tabled by a vote of 52 – 45.   Michelle has more here.