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Then maybe you should start questioning the Democratic leadership (not that the Republicans haven't been gouging us too).
The earmark legislation "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007"’ passed earlier this year specifically disallowed open revelation of earmarks.
The changes included:
The old version (passed by the Senate) required conference / committee reports to list all earmarks and required the chairman of the relevant committee to distribute the earmark list.
The new version of the bill allows the Majority Leader (as opposed to the Senate parliamentarian, a more objective judge) to determine whether or not a conference report complies with the disclosure requirements.
The new version removes the requirement for earmark lists posted online to be in searchable format.
The new version removes the provision that prevented any bill from being considered at all prior to the disclosure of earmarks; now the text only prohibits a formal motion to proceed, which leaves open a procedural loophole that would allow bills to slip through without disclosure.
The old version prohibited earmarks which benefit a Member, their staff, or their family/their staff’s family.
The new version waters that down and only prohibits earmarks that would “only” affect those parties --- which means so long as you can make a case that your shiny new project affects at least one person other than you positively, you’re all set.
Murtha, Reid and Pelosi are three of the biggest earmark pigs in Government.
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