Another Promise Broken

Interesting to compare how hard President* Obama campaigned against earmarks and wasteful spending with how hard he is defending the current batch of earmarks and wasteful spending. I wonder if he'll actually keep a campaign promise? Any campaign promise?

"Done right, earmarks have given legislators the opportunity to direct federal money to worthy projects that benefit people in their district, and that's why I have opposed their outright elimination," Obama said.

Obama, locked in a head-to-head battle with Clinton for the Democratic nomination, was the first to declare through a spokesman Monday that he would support a one-year moratorium on so-called earmarks when it comes up for a vote later this week. Clinton followed shortly afterward through a spokesman.

The poobahs of pork in both parties as well as their Senate leaders suddenly found themselves on the spot after stalwartly defending lawmakers' practice of steering federal dollars to their home states.

Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi had signaled privately to fellow Democrats that she supports an election-year break from earmarks as she follows the lead of House GOP leader John Boehner.

Cut Pork Barrel Spending: As a Senator, President* Obama introduced and passed bipartisan legislation that would require more disclosure and transparency for special-interest earmarks. Obama and Biden believe that spending that cannot withstand public scrutiny cannot be justified. Obama and Biden will slash earmarks to no greater than 1994 levels and ensure all spending decisions are open to the public.

Biased Survey Skews Stats

In other news, dog bites man.

Nearly a year after Minnesota implemented a statewide smoking ban, the new law is getting high marks from residents. A new survey released today by ClearWay Minnesota, a strong nonprofit advocate of the ban, shows that 77 percent of Minnesotans support it with 41 percent indicating strong support.

In fact, the smoking ban is more popular than the Mall of America (69 percent) and State Fair Pronto Pups (69 percent).

The lobbying group primarily responsible for stealing this particular property right from private property owners says the theft is popular.

And they would never lie.