All He Can Do Is All He Can Do
Whenever Barack Obama's name is raised as a possible candidate for President, the rightwing critics inevitably cry out, "But what has he accomplished in the Senate?"
Today's rightwing Washington Times tells us how a lone coward in the Senate may have put a stop to an Obama-sponsored bill that would "require the administration to create a searchable Web site that would list the name and amount of any federal grant, contract or other award of money amounting to $25,000 or more."
It's a sign of just how hot an issue pork-barrel spending has become that the biggest game in political Washington this summer is trying to smoke out the senator who is blocking a bill to create a searchable database of federal contracts and grants.In essence, the anonymous objection means that a senator has anonymously said that he or she would filibuster the bill if it were brought to a vote on the Senate the floor. If the Bush administration and Sen. Frist were behind Sen. Obama's bill like they say, they would simply bring the bill to the floor and call the mystery senator's filibuster bluff.The bill has the support of the Bush administration and activists on widely divergent sides of the political spectrum. It also passed a Senate committee without any objections, so the unknown senator is annoying many people.
Sponsored by Sens. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, and Barack Obama, Illinois Democrat, the bill would require the administration to create a searchable Web site that would list the name and amount of any federal grant, contract or other award of money amounting to $25,000 or more.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Republican, tried to win speedy passage just before the Senate left for its summer break, but at least one senator objected anonymously.
Now Porkbusters.org, a Web site dedicated to exposing wasteful government spending, is conducting a public campaign to smoke out the obstructor or obstructors, while blogs on both sides of the political spectrum have weighed in, demanding action on the bill.
But that's a big if.
The "What's Obama Done?" meme has served the Republicans well -- and we know Illinois Republicans love "earmarks" -- so it's simply not in the GOP's interest for Sen. Obama's name to be attached to legislation that would expose pork-barrel "earmarks" to taxpayer scrutiny.
There is more non-Moonie coverage of the anonymous objection to Sen. Obama's bill here and here.
Note: If anyone saw this covered in the Chicago papers, please let me know where.
Cross-posted at the So-Called "Austin Mayor" blog
UPDATE: The Mystery Senator is revealed in Talking Points Memo:
It's Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), according to Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-OK) comments a couple of weeks ago, recorded in a small Arkansas paper.
13 comments:
SCAM,
I applaud Sen Obama for his repsonsible behavior.
It was in the SunTimes http://www.suntimes.com/output/feulner/cst-edt-feul23.html
albeit in a Heritage Foundation editorial, rather than original reporting by the Bright One.
Tom Coburn mentioned the issue when he spoke in Chicago last week. Of course, that begs the same question...why was the media again asleep at the switch when Tom Coburn was speaking in Chicago?
Obama's banal vacation/field trip to Africa get yards of videotape and tons of newsprint. Yet when he actually does something (good or bad), the media turns the lights off.
JBP
Outstanding post, Mr. Mayor! Could it be that Obama the worker is much less sexy than, say, Barack the Icon?
The best stuff Obama's done has been when he's partnered with Coburn.
That's not going to gain Obama points in a Democratic primary.
Hmmm…. Interesting conspiracy theory. Don’t get me wrong – I suppose it is entirely possible that the Majority Leader is exploiting the anonymous hold rule so that he could publically support a popular proposal without having to put his money where his mouth is. But it’s also equally plausible that the hold is coming from a Democrat (after all, this sort of reform would certainly cramp someone like Robert Byrd’s style, wouldn’t it?). In which case, consider:
I didn’t doubt that the President and Majority Leader were serious about wanting to get conservative judicial nominees confirmed, but (sabber rattling aside) there was still a great deal of hesitation about exercising the “nuclear option.” That’s because the Republicans know that they won’t hold the Senate forever, and don’t want to take away majority thwarting tools that they might one day need. Similarly, no Majority Leader of either party, to my knowledge, has ever “call a bluff” in the manner you are suggesting.
GOP,
You may see this as a "conspiracy theory" because you've misconstrued a couple of things.
I'm not talking about the use of the "nuclear option" in the case of a filibuster after a bill is sent to the Senate floor, I am talking about just sending the bill to the Senate floor and seeing if anyone is willing to step up and actually filibuster it. If the mystery senator is willing to filibuster Obama's earmarks transparency bill, so be it.
I'm just suggesting that if the Republican leadership was actually behind the bill -- as they claim -- they could simply send it to the Senate floor.
As it stands, they have let the bill stall due to nothing more than the threat of a filibuster.
Sorry for any confusion.
-- SCAM
Austin, Pat...
The Senate is a club and when it comes to a perogative like putting a hold like this all the members could unite.
You get a radical like Coburn and a very ambitious fellow like Obama, well, they throw some rocks at the club.
There is a consipracy all right but whehter its from the GOP or Dems who knows... I'd be more inclined to say it's from the club against two guys who at the moment like to portray themselves as outsiders.
It's a game. A worthy goal here, but still a game. Obama needs to do a little more before he can convince me he's someone of consequence. He sure has the clout and the media on his side...
...now I want to see him use it.
Obama needs to do a little more before he can convince me he's someone of consequence. He sure has the clout and the media on his side, now I want to see him use it.
Bill,
There simply isn't anything that will keep you from shamelessly repeating the GOP's "What's he done?" mantra is there?
There simply isn't anything that will keep you from shamelessly repeating the GOP's "What's he done?" mantra is there?
Sure, it's a no brainer. Do something!
He's got Sam Powers on his staff to give him wise advice on big issues of consequence.
He's got the grandest pulpit of any US Senator with the world media's attention.
Us it for grand and great things...
...not for the green eye shade stuff; as sensible as it may be.
Sorry SCAM, but I think it is you who have misconstrued my comments. I’m not saying that Frist should invoke the “nuclear option” on this issue. I merely cited it as another example of the Leadership’s hesitancy to break down Senate traditions (like filibustering and anonymous holds) in the name of one piece of legislation – regardless of how popular it is.
My point being: the fact that Frist is not willing to “smoke out” the anonymous blocker is not necessarily a signal that he does really support the bill at all. It’s merely a signal that he values chamber tradition more. Similarly, this is why (despite his saber rattling) he never really got close to actually pulling the trigger on the nuclear option.
The hold was placed by Republican Sen. Ted "The Internet is a Series of Tubes" Stevens: http://tinyurl.com/hl9cg
Yet more good government brought to you by the GOP! *gag*
More coverage is afforded Senator Obama's 'diva' status. The spin-merchants are putting him in the display window and the gawkers and yokels are cooing about how pretty he looks in Presidential Fall catalogue.
Barack Obama is tough and tireless public servant. Not too sexy in white buttoned down wash and wear - but that's the guy who can get things done.
It is odd that the gawkers and yokels with nose against the glass can not remember that before Obama became a product he was also and effective Legislator.
...an effective legislator crushed in elections by Bobby Rush.
Tru Dat.
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