Play It Again, Tom

Katherine Mangu-Ward | April 19, 2007

Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn tries again (with the help of sidekick Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)) on full disclosure of earmarks. After the Democratic majority whip objected to a proposal by DeMint to require disclosure, Senate Republicans rose up en masse in defense of limited government spending, passed the new rule, and then linked arms and sang the national anthem.

Just kidding.

Here's what really happened:

Amid thundering silence from the GOP leadership after Durbin's objection, Coburn declared on the Senate floor: "I would remind my colleagues that we don't have a higher favorable rating than the president at this time . . . and the reason we don't is the very reason we just saw. . . . It's a sad day in the Senate because we're playing games with the American public."

Novak concludes:

This is no partisan struggle. The word in the Republican cloakroom was that a GOP senator would derail the DeMint rule if the Democrats did not.

Read the rest of the depressing inside scoop from Bob Novak.

Read more about Coburn's anti-porcine bias here and here, and Jacob's cynical take on the whole effort here.

Comments

|4.19.07 @ 3:11PM|#

After getting their asses handed to them last November, the Repubs didn't learn a single thing.

Truly, they are the Stupid Party.

|4.19.07 @ 3:25PM|#

Truly, they're both stupid parties.

|4.19.07 @ 3:29PM|#

the depressing inside scoop from Bob Novak.

I ain't buying it. I don't think Bob Novak has any scoop, inside or otherwise. Because I think Bob Novak is dead. My guess is that he was still breathing when Valerie Plame was outed, but he had half a dozen interns doing all the digging and writing. The potential speaking engagements and book deals were too valuable to walk away from. So after he breathed his last, they started doing the Weekend at Bernie's thing with him.

Hey, look at all the years out of John-Paul II, and Arafat. But those guys pulling the strings on Castro don't know when to quit.

|4.19.07 @ 3:39PM|#

You think that a revelation like this will enable the Libertarian Party to pull even 100 votes away from the major parties?
Most Americans can't even name their Senators, let alone tell you how they voted on something.

|4.19.07 @ 3:48PM|#

Khaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnn!

Khaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnn!

|4.19.07 @ 3:57PM|#

I guess this is the point where I once again express my gratitude to the Democrats for following through on their promise to "drain the swamps" and await joe's reply to me regarding "baby steps" or whatever. Is anyone going to declare the entire concept of Liberaltarianism dead?

I can't believe not one Dem Senator has the balls to join the Republican Gang of 5. Hey Jim Webb, I'm talking to you.

|4.19.07 @ 3:58PM|#

Unfortunately, I fear that creech is right.

Maybe a major hugely expensive ad campaign is in order to promote the libertarian party, even if it's only in 1 senate district with a vulnerable candidate... I can always dream, can't I?

|4.19.07 @ 4:04PM|#

Anyone remember this little gem from the Democrats during the 2006 campaign?

Our goal is to restore accountability, honesty and openness at all levels of government. To do so, we will create and enforce rules that demand the highest ethics from every public servant, sever unethical ties between lawmakers and lobbyists, and establish clear standards that prevent the trading of official business for gifts.

Nice to see how that's working out.

Once again, meet the new boss, same as the old boss. It makes me proud to say I didn't bother to vote.

|4.19.07 @ 5:05PM|#

Our goal is--

to restore accountability, honesty and oPenness at all levels Of government. To do so, We will crEate and enfoRce rules that demand the highest ethics from every public servant, sever unethical ties Between lawmakers and lobbyIsTs, and establish Clear standards tHat prevent the trading of official business for gifts.

|4.19.07 @ 5:24PM|#

Pro Lib,

You, my friend, have A Beautiful Mind.

|4.19.07 @ 5:45PM|#

I see patterns through constant repetition, that's all.

|4.19.07 @ 5:57PM|#

Better is better, jf. Were you expecting utopia?

The old Coburn/Demint amendment was offered to a Democratic-passed rule that made significant improvements to how the last six years' worth of budgets were written. I would have rather seen more improvement, but I'll take what I can get.

It's a good thing you didn't vote, because the Senate was only won by a hair, and I'd rather not have the budget written using DeLay-era rules. I guess we'll see when this year's appropriation's bills are written.

BTW, the quote you pulled has nothing to do with earmarks.

|4.19.07 @ 6:01PM|#

Better is better. . . .

You keep saying that, but I don't feel any better. I hope that you are proved right, 'cause I can't take anything worser.

|4.19.07 @ 6:15PM|#

I guess we'll see when this year's appropriation's bills are written.

Show of hands, please.

Who thinks Our New Democratic Masters will pass budget and appopriation bills that are appreciably different from those passed by Our Former Republican Masters?

I'd love to be surprised, but I wouldn't put money on it. Oh wait, I already did. Tuesday was tax day.

|4.19.07 @ 6:32PM|#

BTW, the quote you pulled has nothing to do with earmarks.

Once again, I'd advise you to RTFA, because this wasn't amount ending earmarks, but about creating full disclosure.

First-term Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina rose on the Senate floor shortly before noon to request unanimous consent for immediate enactment of a rule requiring full disclosure of earmarks.

Is there something I missed besides you not reading the article?

|4.19.07 @ 6:34PM|#

Oh, and the quote I pulled specifically stated that the Democrats planned to usher in a new age of openness in government. Please enlighten me as to how the quote I pulled and the article being discussed don't relate.

|4.19.07 @ 7:37PM|#

Jesus, I just realized I typed "amount" instead of "about". Lucky me nobody else is following this thread.

|4.19.07 @ 7:41PM|#

Were you expecting utopia?

Why not? It's what your side promised.

Of course, so does the other side, so it's not like I'm disappointed or anything.

|4.19.07 @ 8:30PM|#

It would be great to get another Talkingpointsmemo/Porkbusters campaign to put all Senators on record. Of course, Reason and commenters are free to continue just bitching about it.

|4.20.07 @ 4:11AM|#

Coburn was also in the news for reaming USAG Gonzalez about his bullshit testimony regarding the fired AGs, which I found quite amusing.

Does he have more character than the average Congressscum? Or is he just distancing himself from the Bush admin for some tactical re-election reason?

|4.20.07 @ 7:09AM|#

Coburns a doctor. Doctors spend their day in settings where no one dares to contradict them, so they naturally get used to saying whatever crosses their mind.

It can be amusing or annoying, depending.