Earmarks or Providing Health Insurance to Children?

That is the question asked by Senator Tom Coburn when he proposed an amendment on Tuesday that would have barred the use of funds for earmarks within the Labor-HHS appropriation until all children under the age of 18 were covered by health insurance. Guess how the vote went. The Senators voted overwhelmingly (68-26) not to give all children health insurance to children but to make sure all their pet projects were still in place.Here is the roll. Most of those who voted against the motion to table or support Coburn's amendment were Republicans save Clare McCaskill and Russ Feingold. The statement of purpose of Coburn's bill amendment states, "To require Congress to provide health care for all children in the U.S. before funding special interest pork projects."

This is a tiny little amendment that says a lot about the priorities of members of the U.S. Senate. I honestly think that the Senate has forgotten that the money they spend on Hippie Museums and other pet projects has to come from somewhere, or more accurately someone.

Senator Jeff Sessions voted in favor of Coburn's amendment but Alabama's' other senator I am ashamed to say voted to table (or against) the amendment living up to his reputation as Citizens Against Government Waste's Porker of the Month. Since October 1, the senator has issued 16 press releases, of which 11 related to earmarks. Ironically, his first press release of the month was to announce the introduction of a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. Talk about covering your bases. I feel like writing my Senator and asking him to name a building or maybe even a tree after me.