Senator Bunning Caves

Alas, Senator Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) simply could not take the political heat, and has ended his one man attempt to reign in government spending.

"Rather than winning the fight over funding the bill, Bunning eventually settled for a vote to close a tax loophole enjoyed by paper companies that get a credit from burning "black liquor," a pulp-making byproduct, as if it were an alternative fuel. The amendment failed.

Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, said Bunning was accepting an offer he had rejected for days."

It's pretty clear why Senator Bunning folded on this issue. Although he's not running for reelection, his Republican party comrades had told him in no uncertain terms that his stance was jeopardizing their own reelection bids.

Senator Durbin attempted to gin up public outrage:

"As a result ... unemployment benefits were cut off for thousands of people across America, assistance for health care was cut off across America, thousands of federal employees were furloughed," Durbin said."

Sure Senator, we're all crying tears of sympathy because a few people were delayed their government checks for a day or two.

The fact that a Senator that has no plan to run for reelection can't stand his ground on a very minor budget matter for more than a few days strongly indicates there is no political will at all to getting control of the federal budget deficit any time soon.