The “Most Ethical Congress” Fails Again

Robert Novak has a piece today that slams the democrat sponsored and passed “ethics” reform bill that makes pork barrel spending a lot more likely. Novak has been reporting for more than fifty years. He still seems to scoop other reporters.

September 10, 2007 — THE final version of the widely celebrated ethics bill, passed by overwhelming margins in both House and Senate a month ago, finally and quietly made its way last week from Capitol Hill to the White House. It surely will soon be signed into law by President Bush. What only a handful of leaders and insiders realize is that this measure, avowedly dedicated to transparency, actually makes it easier for the Senate to pass pet projects without the public – or many senators – being aware of it.

Until now, one or two senators could block any provision that had not been passed by either Senate or House from being inserted, usually at the end of a session, in the final version of a bill. Under the new rule, it will take 40 senators to block such proposals that are protected by the majority or even the bipartisan leadership. That’ll make it much easier to enact any number of special-interest measures, which is the goal of all-too-many Congress members.