Posted by Nolan Finley (The Detroit News) on Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Oink, oinkNever has the disconnect between Congress and the American people been more apparent than during the current lame-duck session.
The Democratic leadership, whose fiscal recklessness was repudiated by voters on Election Day, is attempting to use the final days of this session to force through the remains of their big spending agenda.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who had to spend more than $100 million of special interest money to fight off a challenge from a weak opponent, is behaving as if he has a mandate to keep on spending.
At the moment, he's trying to get passed a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that is larded up with pork from senators of both parties.
What part of the message sent on Nov. 2 did these folks not get?Congressional Republicans have sworn off earmarks, but the pledge is obviously not binding until January. For the moment, they've joined Democrats in adding 6,000 earmarks worth $8 billon to a 2,000 page bill few congressmen will even bother to read.
The measure violates the intent of the election - and the promise of renewed attention to spending and the deficit by President Barack Obama - and highlights again the danger of permitting major pieces of legislation to be passed in the lame-duck session.
All this Congress needs to do before going home - at last - is to pass a three-month extension of the current spending plan. Let the new Congress work with the president to craft a budget that reflects the clearly expressed will of the American people.
From The Detroit News:
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/nolanfinleyblog/index.php?blogid=1391#ixzz18JwtnYes
