Democrats tout "smart earmarks"

I find it discouraging that on this campus you got folks trying to revise the political policy guidelines concerning campaign visits and rallies, but their online activities are almost non-existent. Where are the Case Democrats, Libertarians, and Republicans blogs?

Anyways, back to the victorious congressional Democrats who promised us a one-year moratorium on all earmarks. The incoming appropriations chairman Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Rep. David Obey (D-Wis) issued a joint statement stating that "there will be no congressional earmarks" until 2008.

Yet in an interview with the Maryland Examiner, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md) said she would continue to support "smart earmarks." So somehow "smart earmarks" are a more ethical form of earmarks?

If you look at the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conversation and Improvement Act of 2007, it was loaded with 14 earmarks for water projects throughout Texas. Yet there were no names of the earmark sponsors. Why? Because the bill was considered under a suspension of the rules, so the House reforms adopted in January DID NOT APPLY.

How convenient!