| h/t Instapundit |
In general, when Congress funds a specific product or program, companies engage in a competitive process to receive the money. However, earmarks circumvent the process and allow Politicians to determine who gets the government funds. Earmarks allow Politicians to fund their pet projects or provide benefits to companies which help fund their campaigns.
| If cloture is invoked, America will suffer a $5.9 billion cover up. |
Senator Levin apparently does not like the press he is receiving from his earmarking efforts (49 requests in this legislative cycle alone), so he has devised a scheme to cover up his activity - a scheme that threatens the entire fight against earmarks.
I am reliably told that Senators DeMint and Senator Coburn are willing to go to war on this issue.
To cover up his activity, Senator Levin is attempting to place earmarks in committee reports instead of including them as part of the legislative language. He did this by hiding some language in the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill which changes the way earmarks are viewed.
Most senators don't bother to read legislative language and even fewer have time to read more extensive committee reports. Under Senator Levin's cover up scheme, he can hide behind committee reports that are never voted on and talk out of both sides of his mouth by arguing that committee reports do not have the force of law. What Levin will not tell you is that, because of the special language he slipped in, earmarks in committee reports do have the force of law.
Senator DeMint has an amendment (cosponsored by Senators Coburn and Burr) to strike the requirement that earmarks which have not been voted on in committee or otherwise be treated as law. Senator DeMint attempted to offer his amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill on Thursday afternoon, but Senator Levin objected to even the right to debate the issue and would not allow Senator DeMint to introduce the amendment for consideration.
Obviously, Senator Levin has something to hide.
If Senator DeMint is not allowed to offer his amendment, $5.9 billion in earmarks will be handed out at the taxpayers' expense without the benefit of any debate.
As the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Levin has the responsibility of writing the committee report and he can place anything in the report he chooses. He has chosen to use his Chairmanship to the tune of $198 million. And to cover it up so that the corrupt earmarking status quo would continue.
Senate Democrats promised more open government. This is not it.
Senator Levin announced on Thursday that cloture on the bill will be filed on Friday. If cloture is invoked, America will suffer a $5.9 billion cover up.