GOP's Poll Vault Is Cut Short by House Democrats

House Democrats defeated Republicans' first attempt Thursday to slash a federal spending program based on the results of an online poll.

House Republicans, building on their message of fiscal restraint, have started an anti-spending program called YouCut. The online system will ask Americans to vote every week on one of five programs to cut -- from there, Republicans will put the program to a vote. The "winner" of the first round of voting was a $2.5 billion welfare program.

The House defeated the attempt to cut the welfare program by a vote of 240-177. But House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., pledged to conduct the poll again and submit a new program for a vote next week. He said 300,000 people have voted so far.

"There should be no doubt, however, that it is our intention to earn a sufficient number of votes from some members of the Blue Dog Coalition and other so-called fiscally sensible Democrats, in order to pass YouCut proposals," he said in a statement.

Democrats have ridiculed Republicans for the move.

Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., called the program a Republican "ploy" on the House floor.

"This is not 'American Idol' or 'Dancing With the Stars.' This is America's legislature," he said, questioning the large number of "so-called" Americans who voted.

"For all we know, on YouCut Usama bin Laden could be voting," he said.