Shelby votes to keep pork in spending bill
Here’s the roll call vote on an amendment offered by John McCain to strip earmarks out of the latest bloated spending bill. Alabama’s Richard Shelby was one of ten Republicans who voted to keep earmarks in the bill. Not surprising considering Shelby is ranked as the number two porker in the Senate by Taxpayers for Common Sense. The amendment failed of course.
Sigh…
Last year, while in campaign mode, Barack Obama ceremoniously co-sponsored an amendment that would issue a one year moratorium on earmarks. We’ll see if he makes good on his campaign rhetoric and follows through on that pledge. His track record thus far does not give me cause to be optimistic, though. He’s already breaking his promise to go “line by line” through the federal budget and eliminate waste.
I began voting for Shelby when he was a Democrat, and in fact, he is the ONLY Democrat to ever receive my vote. That first election I voted for Shelby because I thought that he was conservative and could be trusted. Since he switched parties I’ve voted for him every time he’s run. I don’t know if he plans to retire or what, but I will NEVER vote for Shelby again. He sold out for a paltry $114 million. If you’re going to whore yourself out, at least make the number respectable. Regardless, he’s seen the last of my votes.
Once again… Thank you, Sen. McCain. If nothing else, this shows us exactly which Republicans are (at least somewhat) true to their word on being against wasteful spending and which of them are just blowing hot air regarding the subject.