I would agree with you completely if it wasn't for this:
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/02/07/earmarks_0208.html

Washington — U.S. House Republicans, including all seven of Georgia's GOP congressmen, failed Thursday to impose an immediate moratorium on the use of congressional earmarks.

The moratorium was killed on a procedural vote of 204-196, with all Republicans and seven Democrats — including Rep. John Barrow of Savannah — voting for it.

"House Republicans regret Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi's decision to keep the earmark factory open," Rep. Jack Kingston, a Savannah Republican who sponsored the moratorium legislation, said about the defeat.

If they had voted this through, then I think Congress could have demonstrated a true commitment and earned the respect of the public. Still, last year was a good start.



>See, i told ya they did have some accomplishments. The pork isnt going away regardless if the fiscally conservative ;) Rs run the entire show, or if the Ds have a one vote majority. Minus the line item veto, thats just how legislation gets passed. But the earmark line was my favorite from the SOTU. George's party runs the show unencumbered for 6 years (when they could have done something about them) and then coincidently becomes disgusted with earmarks when they lose majority.
>
>As for accomplishments, i agree with the author (although they arent very good at it, but is better than nothing)
>
>Perhaps most important, Congress reasserted itself as a rightful check on the executive branch, significantly stepping up its oversight on a wide range of important subjects.
>
>
>>http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?id=2534
>>
>>Now, according to my global-warming-friendly solar-powered handheld Casio calculator, if Congress approves $32 billion in earmarks this year after approving only $14 billion last year, that's a 128.57% hike in the cost of earmarks in one year
>>
>>
>>Well, they did better for one term... that's an improvement.
>>
>>
>>>The implication i get is that the Ds had won veto-proof majorities and still couldnt get 'er done. Of course they didnt have such a majority. This link does mention some accomplishments.
>>>
>>>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/19/opinion/19mann.html
>>>
>>>But expectations for seismic change in policymaking after the 2006 midterm elections were almost certainly too high, given the deep ideological differences between the parties, the Democrats’ narrow majorities, the now-routine Senate filibusters and a Republican president determined to go his own way on Iraq, the budget and domestic policy.
>>>
>>>The new Democratic Congress delivered on the promise of ethics and lobbying reform, and made considerable progress in reining in earmarks, which had exploded under the previous 12 years of mostly Republican rule. In fact, between the 2006 and 2008 fiscal years, the cost of appropriations earmarks appears to have dropped from $29 billion to $14.1 billion. Perhaps most important, Congress reasserted itself as a rightful check on the executive branch, significantly stepping up its oversight on a wide range of important subjects.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Now THAT is funny. The Democratic congress has accomplished absolutely nothing. Pelosi and her crew vowed to uphold a higher work ethic to work 5 day workweeks and do you remember how many vacation days they took right off the bat? How many 5 day workweeks are they scheduled to work in 2008? THREE
>>>>
>>>>>Ya, too bad the majority didn't win 7 years ago - we would have not been in this war in the first place.
>>>>>
>>>>>That's why there's a Democartic Congress today, and that's why there will be a Democratic
>>>>>President come November.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I wouldn't be so sure about that, the majority of the US public had a chance 3+ years ago.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The majority of the US public hate this war and want out. It just goes to show how
>>>>>>>far out of touch the GOP realy is.