PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: Senators Coburn and Obama write about the transparency bill:

If nothing else, this activism and this bill are a testament to a hunger that exists in America today. It’s a non-partisan hunger for a government that’s honest and open — one that spends our hard-earned tax dollars wisely, efficiently and transparently. The scandals of the last few years have shaken the American people’s faith in this kind of government, and if we hope to restore that faith, bills like this will have to stop being the exception and start becoming the rule. . . .

We know of other small, but important, steps we can take. More than a year after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, there are still no-bid contracts being awarded to companies with questionable spending practices. The process by which Congress awards earmarks is still fraught with waste and abuse. And now that Jack Abramoff has faded from view, Washington seems incapable of passing reforms that were once thought to be inevitable.

The movement that helped pass this bill proves that the American people want to participate in this debate, that they’re demanding more from our politics, and that they believe this begins with a government that is responsive and accountable to the public.

This movement also demonstrated that even in our polarized political culture the American people can forge a consensus and achieve real results. One Web site won’t change government overnight, but the widespread support it received, the swiftness with which it was passed, and the steps it will take to reconnect citizens with their government are all real and welcome signs of hope.

It was a small step, but a useful one. We need many more steps, though.