And the award for "Fakest Compromise of 2005" goes to ...

House and Senate negotiators!!! For theis fine work convincing the New York Times Online to run this headline: "G.O.P. Strips Mandatory Funding for Two Alaskan Bridges."

The real story?

In an unusual move to change ``pork'' spending, House-Senate negotiators removed the $432 million in required spending during final talks on a yearly bill to fund programs for the Transportation and Treasury departments, the House Appropriations Committee said.

As a compromise, Alaska will still receive the money that had been set aside for the bridges to spend as it likes on transportation needs.