There was a rare chance for some bipartisanship mixed with some sincere debate in Washington next week when a defense policy bill will be taken up by the Senate. This type of bill usually passes with plenty of support from both sides of the aisle but the inclusion of the repeal of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy left open some uncertainty as that important and relative issue is to be debated and hopefully resolved. But just to make sure that chaos ensued and in a desperate attempt to put politics over doing his actual job, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says he will insert a controversial immigration measure into the bill.

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As threatened, the Senate passed its $1.1 trillion spending bill today and gave billions of taxpayer dollars to unnecessary projects at a time when most Americans are still feeling the effects of the recession and the unemployment rate remains in double digits. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) said it was "shameful" that so many of these earmarks were in the legislation. Most Americans, he said, were watching football and not the Senate debate, adding, "If they knew what we are about to pass..." (source)

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