Shocking isn’t it? After the November 2 elections and a clear message from the American people that they are fed up with excessive government spending and earmarks, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still wants earmarks. McConnell not only still likes earmarks but he is also trying to defeat an attempt to restrict earmarks. According to a November 9, 2010 article in Politico:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is maneuvering behind the scenes to defeat a conservative plan aimed at restricting earmarks, setting up a high-stakes showdown that pits the GOP leader and his “Old Bull” allies against Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and a new breed of conservative senators.
In a series of one-on-one conversations with incoming and sitting senators, McConnell is encouraging his colleagues to keep an open mind and not to automatically side with DeMint, whose plan calls on Senate Republicans to unilaterally give up earmarks in the 112th Congress, according to several people familiar with the talks.
Sen. McConnell has always had an appetite for pork, and in fact, in the 2010 Congressional Pig Book Sen. McConnell was responsible for $114 million worth of pork, including $1.2 million for the Western Kentucky University Shuttle Bus Improvement Project.
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