Biden says stimulus plan won't include earmarks

Vice President-elect Joe "Give em' Hell" Biden says that the economic stimulus plan the new administration will put into law shortly after taking office won't include no stinkin' earmarks. The Wall Street Journal quotes (subscription required) Biden as saying that "There will be no earmarks in this economic recovery plan. I know it's the Christmas season, but President-elect Obama and I are absolutely determined that this economic recovery package will not become a Christmas tree."

I'll believe it when I see it. The $700 billion TARP bill was rejected by Congress once, only to be passed once it was brought to a new vote stuffed with pork: provisions tax savings for a manufacturer of "certain wooden arrows designed for use by children" and a convoluted change to tax policy on rum.

Obama and company have indicated that there is a rush to get a new stimulus plan passed and self-serving Congressmen and women will take advantage of that by larding the bill up with earmarks and then defying their colleagues and the President to prevent it from being made law. It won't happen.

I will be shocked -- shocked -- if the next stimulus plan makes it through with no earmarks.