"Majority Leader Harry Reid has had it up to here with [Oklahoma Senator] Tom Coburn, the Senate's scourge of excessive spending and pork-barrel earmarks. Mr. Reid is telling reporters he will no longer tolerate the Oklahoma Republican blocking about 100 bills using the power Senate rules give individual member to stop legislation from coming to a floor vote.
Mr. Coburn objects to many of the bills because he says they would enrich special interests and private developers at the expense of taxpayers.
"So Mr. Reid is taking the unusual step of assembling a package of bills that Mr. Coburn has stopped, forming an omnibus bill and ramming them through the Senate before it leaves for its August break. 'For those of you who may not know this, you cannot negotiate with Coburn,' Mr. Reid told reporters. 'It's something that you learn over the years, that it's a waste of time.'
"Mr. Reid's decision now puts added pressure on Mr. Coburn's fellow Republican senators. An omnibus bill can proceed to a floor vote if 60 Senators agree to cut off debate. With many GOP Senators having inserted provisions into the bills Mr. Coburn is blocking, they will be torn between supporting their colleague in his fight against excessive spending or risking losing projects for their state. Mr. Reid's move is a clever way to force Republicans to choose between their self-proclaimed principles and pork. It will be interesting to see just how many side with Democrats in their effort to roll over Mr. Coburn."
- John Fund, Political Diary, 7/15/08
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