Every once in a while, a news story is so big that it can transcend our normal subject matter. This is one of those times.

“Thirty pieces of silver”
Burns on the traitor’s brain;
“Thirty pieces of silver!
Oh! it is hellish gain!” – William Blane, 1906

During the 2009-2010 Obamacare debate, we had the Cornhusker kickback, in which Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson (D) accepted a deal that included $100 Million extra Medicaid money for his state, in exchange for his vote. Then Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) accepted a similar, yet more lucrative deal of $400 Million for her vote; it was dubbed the “Louisiana Purchase”. Over on the House side, a supposed “pro-life” Democrat named Bart Stupak from Michigan and his coalition gave away their votes and principles for a meaningless Executive Order.

McConnell: Bet on the “Kentucky Dirty”.

Now, more than three years after the passage of Obamacare, Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has just won the “Kentucky Dirty”. In a deal between McConnell and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to re-open the government and end the fight to defund or delay Obamacare, McConnell won a $3 Billion earmark for a project in his state.

Via WFPL (h/t Drudge):

Language in a draft of the McConnell-Reid deal (see page 13, section 123) provided to WFPL News shows a provision that increases funding for the massive Olmsted Dam Lock in Paducah, Ky., from $775 million to nearly $2.9 billion.

The dam is considered an important project for the state and region in regards to water traffic along the Ohio River.

As The Courier-Journal’s James Bruggers reported in 2011, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said they needed about $2.1 billion for the locks due to “stop and go funding.”

Asked about the additional funding in the proposal, McConnell spokesman Robert Steurer directed all questions to lawmakers who worked on the bill directly. {emphasis ours}

Here is a 2009 news report on the project that featured McConnell’s comments while on-site: