House Unveils New Spending Bill

House Democrats today landed a one-two punch on their more tight-fisted peers. First, a spat of robocalls hit the waves criticizing Republican congressmen who opposed the stimulus; then, the Dems unveiled a new $410 billion spending bill, barely a week after the $787 billion stimulus passed. The Associated Press reports that the new bill "includes thousands of earmarks" and that Republicans, no matter how much they complain, won't be able to stop the bill, which is expected to clear the House late this week. Several measures in the bill coincide with other high-profile news events: A measure to loosen restrictions on travel to Cuba and the sale of food and medicine there coincides with Republican Senator Dick Lugar's recent plea to ease up on the embargo.