Reid defends earmarks, blasts some Republicans as hypocrites

[jefferson_dem]

Reid defends earmarks, blasts some Republicans as hypocrites
By: CNN Congressional Producer Ted Barrett

Washington (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry gave a full-throated defense of earmarks Thursday and criticized some Republicans for seeking them in a pending government-funding bill despite a recent pledge to ban them.

"Some people who speak out against congressionally directed spending or earmarks are people who have more earmarks than others. They're hoping, of course, it will pass and they can go home and do the press events as they've done with the stimulus money that we have gotten back to the states saying, 'Here I am, cut the ribbon, look what I did.' You can't have it both ways," Reid said at a news conference.

"I bet if you went to 'h' in the dictionary and found 'hypocrite,' under the word would be people who ask for earmarks but vote against them."

The separation of powers is spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, including the right of Congress to make decisions about funding, Reid said holding up a pocket-sized copy.

"I am convinced that I do not want to give up more power to the White House, whether it's George Bush or Barack Obama and I'm going to fight as hard as I can against President Obama on these earmarks and my Republican colleagues who hate to vote for them but love to get them," he said.

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http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/16/reid-defends-earmarks-blasts-some-republicans-as-hypocrites/

[Clio the Leo]

1. Well .... that ought to be fun. nt

[Arkana]

2. Reid's right about earmarks.

Hell, why do you think most congresspeople get elected and reelected? It's because they bring home the bacon to their districts, and that bacon is not always a bad thing. But to hear wingnuts tell it, you'd think all that money was being put in piles and set on fire.