PORK BARREL AND POLITICS

Each Congressional year, we witness our elected representatives bring home the bacon to their respective states. In most cases, this is a great incentive to re-elect them in order that they may return to Washington D.C. to once again bring home all of the funding that they can, despite the impact that it may have on our national budget and deficit. This particular source of funding is not included in the budget submitted by the President. This type of appropriations do not have to have congressional debate or a bill requesting the funding. The funding request is simply attached to any bill that will be approved by Congress and signed by the President. The term for this is called "earmarks" and commonly referred to as "pork barrelling".

This past Congressional year, Senator McCain and one other Senator proposed a bill to stop the practice of "earmarking". It was soundly defeated on the floor of debate. Two notables that voted to approve the bill was Senator Clinton and Senator Obama as well as the sponsor of the bill, Senator McCain. Senator Stevens and Senator Murkowski each voted against the bill. Most Senators feel that if they can bring home the bacon, the voters will not forget when it comes time for re-election.

This Congressional year, a total of 17.2 Billion dollars was appropriated for "pork barrel" projects. This is 17.2 Billion dollars that was not included in the national budget request made by the President. It is very difficult to balance a budget when that kind of funding is added to it in the final minutes of the appropriations. This is an increase of four billion dollars in comparison to last year. As usual, Senator Ted Stevens ranked up there in the top tier at bringing home the bacon. Alaska was once again the #1 state in receiving the most "pork per population" valued at $469 million dollars, with Senator Ted Stevens bringing home $380 million dollars of that total.

Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and Senator McCain are each campaigning for the Presidency of the United States. Keep in mind that each of these Senator's voted to eliminate the concept of "earmarks" earlier in the year. However, when it came time to feed at the trough, two of them flip-flopped on their decision. Senator Clinton returned to her home state of New York with $530 million dollars in "pork barrel" projects. Senator Obama returned home to Illinois with the funding of 40.6 million dollars for pet projects. The sponsor of the bill to eliminate "earmarks", Senator McCain returned to Arizona with zero funding. During his many tenured years in Congress, Senator McCain has never "earmarked" funding for the State of Arizona. However, he continues to win the voters approval each election year by a landslide over those that run against him from the State of Arizona. Must have something to do with ethics and the principal that you are only as good as your word. Perhaps, other Senators and Representatives could use his example, that you do not always have to being home the bacon to get re-elected.

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