Interesting spin on this vote:

We are blowing away the fog of anonymity,” said Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Rules Committee. “The goal is to pull back the curtain on earmarks to the public.”

The rule change shelves a wider ethics bill, however, at least until next year. That bill became bogged down amid disagreements between the House and the Senate, and the reluctance of lawmakers from both parties to limit their interactions with lobbyists. The earmarks measure was brought up as a passable way to address voter unrest over the scandals, aides said.

“This bill represents the death of lobby reform,” said Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.), a former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Madison’s representative Tammy Baldwin voted No. Obey’s comments are ironic, given his prolific use of earmarks. Lots more on earmarks here.

I don’t think there’s much to be proud of from either party’s perspective. Applying some “sunshine” to the earmark process is a good thing.