All three defeated congress members were appropriators

All three defeated members of Congress were members of Appropriations Committees -- Republican Senator Bob Bennett of Utah, Republican-turned-Democratic Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Democratic Congressman Alan Mollohan of West Virginia. All based much of their political appeal on their ability to get money for their states or districts, and for national causes as well.

But spending is out of fashion this year. The spontaneous outpouring of opposition to the expansion of government symbolized by but not limited to the tea party movement has been based on opposition to spending, not opposition to taxes. Suddenly pork is not kosher. Additional evidence: the decision of House Appropriations Chairman David Obey to retire after 41 years in Congress.

Issa threatens request for prosecutor to investigate White House job offer to Specter's Dem challenger

Rep. Darrell Issa, the top Republican on the House Oversight committee, told CBS News Wednesday that he will call for a special prosecutor to investigate the White House if it does not address Rep. Joe Sestak's claim that he was offered a federal job in exchange for dropping out of the Pennsylvania Senate primary.

"If the public doesn't receive a satisfactory answer, the next step would be to call for a special prosecutor, which is well within the statute," Issa (pictured) told Hotsheet.

The California Republican has been pushing for the White House to provide details of conversations between Sestak and administration officials in the wake of Sestak's comment during a radio interview last month that he was offered a high-ranking administration job in exchange for dropping his primary challenge against Sen. Arlen Specter.

Boisterous crowd slams Specter on Obamacare