Senator throws hissy fit over earmarksFollow

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, is blocking Senate action on executive branch nominations, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said this afternoon in an e-mail.

In response to a question from the Press-Register, Reid spokeswoman Regan Lachapelle confirmed that Shelby has placed a "blanket hold" on most pending nominations.

By placing a hold, a single senator can stop the Senate from voting on a particular nomination, often as a way of gaining leverage on an unrelated issue. It is not clear when Shelby placed the hold or how many nominees are affected. While individual holds are not unusual, Gary Jacobson, a congressional expert at the University of California at San Diego, said he knew of no previous use of a blanket hold.

Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail messages seeking confirmation of the senator's action or his reason for doing so.

Holds can be overcome, but it takes 60 votes in the 100-member Senate. While tradition-bound senators are typically reluctant to take that step, they did so Thursday in voting to confirm nominees to the Labor Department and the General Services Administration.

(wtf I thought Republicans were against earmarks?)

(Projects canned for 2010 due budget/other reasons):

- A $40 billion contract to build air-to-air refueling tankers. From the report: "Northrop/EADS team would build the planes in Mobile, Ala., but has threatened to pull out of the competition unless the Air Force makes changes to a draft request for proposals."

- An improvised explosive device testing lab for the FBI. From CongressDaily: "[Shelby] is frustrated that the Obama administration won't build" the center, which Shelby earmarked $45 million for in 2008. The center is due to be based "at the Army's Redstone **************

Though a Shelby spokesperson would not confirm that these programs were behind the blanket hold, the Senator expressed his frustration about the progress on both through a spokesperson earlier in the day, the magazine reports.

Wait, so the fact that he's throwing a wrench into all pending nominations, even the ones that might benefit his party is saving time? It's actually the opposite of that.

Yeah, he's throwing a hissy fit because 2 projects he had earmarked for Alabama weren't going through as fast as he thought they should. Two earmarked projects, no less. John McCain campaigned against earmarks, and hey look, Obama agreed that they should be reviewed before going ahead. These earmarked projects are under review for a reason. Do we really need to spend that money? Maybe, maybe not.

You'll forgive me

'Cuz there's only one way to look at things. You should try out to be a replacement host on Hannity's show. The rhetorical constructs are almost a perfect match.

So, as much as you can get as far as pork for home, but outside the district is a bit beyond the pale, eh?

He admonished both sides for their earmarks and pointed out that any congressman will say spending is wasteful when it's outside his district, but somehow, any spending done in his district is somehow necessary and can't be compromised.

I must have missed the speech. And I have been in a coma.

And I'm still dying.

[KinderGentlerMoe]:::hugglze:::[/KinderGentlerMoe]
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