This is a smart move be Republicans and they would do well to continue to push the Democrats on this because it is a failure by the Democrats to follow through on their campaign promise:
If Republicans don't make this a campaign issue, they would prove they have no political sense. Ads that demonstrate the failure by the Democrats to curtail earmarks should be running in every district for months leading up to the election. This is a bigger issue than people realize since we all, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, are paying for things we do not need. It's really time for us to tell Congress to stop wasting out money.House Republicans have been fighting and winning the few little battles they can, considering they are in the minority in a body where the minority has few rights. But tonight they won big on a motion to recommit the Intelligence Authorization Act to committee, with instructions to remove all earmarks from the bill.
This is one of many such little wins the House GOP has enjoyed, peeling off moderate and marginal-seat Democrats as they do so. The committee is not obligated to follow the instructions, but they can only ignore them if Democratic leaders are willing to ram the earmarks through, over a clear majority vote of the House.
