Lobby Reform: Earmarks Change

Now this is a little bit (very little) surprising. I would have thought that the lobby reform bill would have ended up as mostly window dressing. The Earmarks reform is at least a little closer to real reform though they don't seem to have gotten quite far enough.

The bill, which passed 90 to 8, aims to eliminate some of the more high-profile connections between lobbyists and lawmakers. It would end the common practice of lobbyists buying meals for senators or providing gifts — such as tickets to sporting events — that many lawmakers said fed the public perception that Congress was swayed by these favors.

and

The measure also would for the first time enable senators to challenge funding of some special projects often tucked into bills at the behest of lobbyists. Still, many of these so-called earmarks that are attached each year to spending bills would remain exempt from challenge.

A touch of reform is better than nothing I suppose. It does still show that the legislature isn't honestly interested in reform.