It looks like Reps. Mark Kirk and Judy Biggert may have dug themselves into a pretty big hole. Not only is their plan to promote a voluntarily moratorium on Republican earmarks hollow, as we mentioned yesterday, but it "appears to have divided members of the House GOP leadership." Politico has the scoop:
Republican Study Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and four other GOP members — including Chief Deputy Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) — sent their colleagues a letter Friday urging them to agree to a self-imposed one-year moratorium on earmarks.
The catch: Many members have already submitted earmark requests for this year. To turn around and approve even a temporary ban could reinforce Democratic charges of hypocrisy, charges that resonate because the number of earmarks soared when the GOP controlled Congress.
I understand the desire to stake out what they think is a politically potent position early on. But not considering the appropriations schedule? That's a major gaffe.
The intra-party scuffle also highlights the dearth of positions -- economic or otherwise -- where Republicans have an upper hand. When the GOP is basing it's electoral fortunes on a anti-pork message they can't even agree upon, you know the party has problems. Where does the GOP go from here?
According to several senior House GOP aides, the Republican leadership will survey rank-and-file GOP lawmakers this week to determine the level of support for a one-year earmark ban. Members will also be asked to consider an alternative that would force them to forgo earmarks and direct that money toward a rebate check for taxpayers struggling with the high cost of gasoline this summer. A third proposal would simply maintain the status quo on earmarks.
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