Some interesting links...

Legislative watchdog groups wage war on earmarks and p--k
Although Republicans claim to be the party of small government and fiscal restraint, Schatz's group found that total earmarks rose to 13,997 in 2005, a huge increase from the 1995 total of 1,349.

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Washington’s new ways spawn more pork
As barriers between lobbyists and lawmakers fall, ‘earmarks’ grow

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Broadcaster says serious news at risk
Many Americans on the left and the right aren't interested in the truth, but simply want news that confirms their viewpoints, he said. "You'd think that it's no more complex than good vs. evil," he said.

Journalists have fallen short in presenting important news in ways that allow viewers to see how it matters in their lives. But viewers must take up the battle as well, he said. "It's not enough to say you want serious news. You have to watch it. It isn't enough to say you want serious debate. You have to engage in it."

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A majority of Americans are more likely to vote for a candidate in November's congressional elections who opposes President Bush, and 58 percent consider his second term a failure so far, according to a poll released Thursday.

Fewer people consider Bush to be honest and trustworthy now than did a year ago, and 53 percent said they believe his administration deliberately misled the public about Iraq's purported weapons program before the U.S. invasion in 2003, the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll found.

Enjoy... and Shalom!
Charlie