Thuglicans kill ethics reform

Rethuglicans killed ethics reform in the Senate by demanding the attachment of a move to give the President the line item veto to it. They, of course, are blaming the Dems for killing the bill. And, the press is playing along -- at least to the extent of saying, "he said, she said."

WASHINGTON - A dispute with Republicans derailed ethics and lobbying legislation Democrats had hoped would mark their takeover of the Senate.

"I hope this is going to be just a bump in the road," said Democratic Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. "We will give them another chance to think about this."

The bill would have reduced the influence of lobbyists in shaping legislation and forced lawmakers to be more open about the pet projects they slip into legislation. On Wednesday, it failed to clear a legislative hurtle calling for 65 votes.

The Senate voted 51-46 after Republicans complained that Democrats blocked an amendment that would give the president the authority, with the approval of Congress, to single out individual spending items in legislation for elimination.

...

Both parties blamed the other for the temporary demise of what they hailed, when debate on the legislation started a week ago, as a model for bipartisan cooperation.