For many conservatives, the two-year moratorium on the practice of
earmarking was the signature accomplishment of the new Republican House
majority. Prior to the moratorium, the proliferation of earmarks
notoriously greased the legislative skids for massive big-spending
legislation, empowered lobbyists and led to corruption. Now, a minor
skirmish over miscellaneous tariff bills is being used by the Washington
establishment to reopen that moratorium and roll back conservative
advances.
Despite the public outcry against the status quo, Washington’s old bulls were never supportive of the earmark moratorium. They went along because they knew they could not withstand the political clout of a newly reinvigorated conservative movement, but being creatures of Washington, the old bulls waited patiently, knowing that there are no permanent victories in this town.
Their opportunity to revisit the moratorium came sooner rather than later. Just 16 months after the moratorium took effect they spotted their opening: miscellaneous tariff bills.
It was the perfect issue. Few Washington insiders knew what a miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) was, and even fewer Americans had ever heard the acronym. It is also fair to say many lawmakers failed to realize MTBs of “limited” benefit were included in the House earmark moratorium, which also includes member-directed spending and targeted tax benefits that needlessly complicate the tax code.
If the old bulls could get conservative and freshmen lawmakers to sign on to an MTB bill, they could create and thus exploit a crack in the earmark moratorium and begin making the case for a return to earmarking. There is honest disagreement over whether MTBs should have ever been included in the definition of earmarks, but the simple fact is that if they benefit 10 or fewer companies they are covered by the existing moratorium.
Despite the public outcry against the status quo, Washington’s old bulls were never supportive of the earmark moratorium. They went along because they knew they could not withstand the political clout of a newly reinvigorated conservative movement, but being creatures of Washington, the old bulls waited patiently, knowing that there are no permanent victories in this town.
Their opportunity to revisit the moratorium came sooner rather than later. Just 16 months after the moratorium took effect they spotted their opening: miscellaneous tariff bills.
It was the perfect issue. Few Washington insiders knew what a miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) was, and even fewer Americans had ever heard the acronym. It is also fair to say many lawmakers failed to realize MTBs of “limited” benefit were included in the House earmark moratorium, which also includes member-directed spending and targeted tax benefits that needlessly complicate the tax code.
If the old bulls could get conservative and freshmen lawmakers to sign on to an MTB bill, they could create and thus exploit a crack in the earmark moratorium and begin making the case for a return to earmarking. There is honest disagreement over whether MTBs should have ever been included in the definition of earmarks, but the simple fact is that if they benefit 10 or fewer companies they are covered by the existing moratorium.
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