The "votes" Frank & Co. went away to cast:: $630 B. for Pentagon, lift ban on off shore drilling.

AP:

"The year-end budget measure also would lift a quarter-century ban on oil drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and is flying under the political radar compared with a hugely controversial White House plan to bail out Wall Street . . .

Democrats capitulated on the question of lifting the offshore drilling ban. And the Bush administration succeeded in blocking Democrats' efforts to extend unemployment insurance, increase food stamp payments and help states deal with shortfalls in their Medicaid budgets.

U.S. automakers would receive up to $25 billion in low-interest loans to help them develop technologies and retool factories to meet new standards for cleaner, more fuel efficient cars. (yeah right, I've head that one before!)

Taxpayers for Common Sense had but a few hours to scrutinize the legislation before debate began Wednesday morning.

The watchdog group discovered 2,322 earmarks totaling $6.6 billion. That included 2,025 in the defense portion alone that cost a total of $4.9 billion."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080924/ap_on_go_co/congress_spending

What a freakin' scam. While they've got us transfixed with the $700 billion for Wall Street they're off charging up the national credit card like drunken sailors on shore leave.