Porkbusters take the White House
***update: photos from NZ Bear***
Congratulations to Glenn Reynolds, N.Z. Bear, and all the participants of the Porkbusters campaign! Bloggers do make a difference. The White House signing ceremony takes place at 9:45am today. Via Washington Times:
President Bush has invited bloggers to join him today as he signs into law a bill creating a database of federal spending — a recognition of their role in forcing the bill through Congress over the objections of senior senators and an indication of how much bloggers are changing the political process.
A coalition of bloggers from the left and the right last month did what the Senate’s Republican leadership could not: smoke out obstructing senators, bring public pressure to break their hold and move the bill to the Senate floor, where it passed by a voice vote.
“The bloggers mobilized Congress; Congress did not mobilize bloggers,” said John Hart, spokesman for Sen. Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican who teamed with Sen. Barack Obama, Illinois Democrat, to support the bill.
“It really does represent a revival of basic democratic values: that active citizens using tools of technology really can steer the political process,” Mr. Hart said. “And what happened was profoundly subversive to the established political order.”
The legislation will establish a searchable database of all federal contracts and grants, and most other spending. The Bush administration supported the database as a way to improve transparency and accountability, but senior senators from both parties blocked the bill through a “secret hold,” a parliamentary tradition that allows a single senator to obstruct legislation.
Bloggers mounted a drive to identify the obstructors, asking readers to call their senators and demand to know whether they were the culprits. The obstructors eventually acknowledged their role and relented.
One administration official called the bill the “‘Blair Witch Project’ version of legislation” because support grew by word of mouth through blogs.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Nancy Pelosi Explains Why Obama Flip-Flopped on Super PACs
February 9, 2012 10:08 PM by Doug Powers
50 CommentsReport: Solyndra Sold Assets Cheap to Entity with Close Ties to Investors
February 9, 2012 10:08 AM by Doug Powers
49 CommentsFormer Democrat Rep. Regrets Vote for Obamacare Due to Contraceptive Coverage
February 7, 2012 03:40 PM by Doug Powers
75 CommentsMiddle Class Payroll Tax Cut Extension Comes Courtesy of Mortgage Fees on Home Buyers
February 6, 2012 01:36 PM by Doug Powers
35 CommentsHiring Spree in NYC
February 1, 2012 02:47 PM by Doug Powers
43 CommentsMr. and Mrs. Cranky Pants
January 27, 2012 10:35 AM by Michelle Malkin
138 CommentsStimulus-Backed ‘Green’ Bankruptcy of the Week: Ener1
January 26, 2012 03:06 PM by Doug Powers
67 CommentsObama and Jan Brewer Have Words on Airport Tarmac; Update: Brewer Book Sales Skyrocket
January 25, 2012 09:54 PM by Doug Powers
165 CommentsWarren Buffett’s Secretary to Sit with First Lady at State of the Union Speech
January 24, 2012 12:35 PM by Doug Powers
93 Comments
Categories: Barack Obama
Babalu Blog
» Greece is Burning
Patterico
» NYT hails the safety net: Poor hardest hit
Daily Caller
» Inside Media Matters: Sources, memos reveal erratic behavior, close coordination with White House and news organizations
Gateway Pundit
» Notre Dame Tells Obama: HHS Mandate Is a ‘Grave Violation of Religious Freedom and Cannot Stand’
AmSpecBlog
» Weekend Political Wrap-Up
JustOneMinute
» I Guess I'm Still Stuck On Stupid
The Hill
» Rep. Ron Paul not conceding Maine vote











See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.