Conservative senator lauds McConnell on earmarks

[November 16, 2010]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- A leading conservative Republican is hailing the push to end spending on pet projects, saying it represents a "culture change" in Washington.

South Carolina's Sen. Jim DeMint complimented Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for joining forces with those wanting to end the so-called "earmarks" often attached to congressional legislation.

DeMint tells CBS's "The Early Show" he credits the Kentucky Republican with listening to fellow GOP lawmakers and also to voters who showed their anger over federal spending at the polls in this months's elections.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Republican from Minnesota who leads a tea party caucus in the House, called McConnell's stand "a very good sign that Republicans are listening."

"It's all very good for the American people," she said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

She said the Republican leadership "sent a strong signal that they want to stick to fiscal sanity."

DeMint also said that he plans to introduce legislation with Indiana's Rep. Mike Pence later Tuesday to make permanent the Bush era tax cuts that are due to expire at year's end.

The Obama administration has opposed extending the tax cuts for the wealthy, but has signaled recently that it might be willing to discuss renewing it for this class of taxpayers for another two years.

DeMint said two years would not be enough time to allow businesses to plan and carry out expansion and new hiring.

[Associated Press]

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