Pork Barrel Projects of Your Favorite Congressman and Senators

Posted on May 22, 2008
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You know, this Farm Bill that G.W. vetoed was so full of Pork, it stunk to high heaven. Plus it was just a bad bill all around. This is the reason the President vetoed the bill. Even after warning the Congress and Senate to keep their hands out of the cookie jar, they still tacked on so much freakin’ pork it wasn’t funny. This is why the U.S. Congress was so happy to override Bush’s veto. They had Pork they needed to take back to their districts.

Why The Farm Bill Is A Bad Bill

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to skim read over the Bill and see why it’s a bad bill. A lot of the money goes to subsidize farmers. Sounds good doesn’t it? However, it doesn’t go to the Mom and Pop family farmers, you know, the ones we think of when we think of Farmers. No, this bill helps out corporate owned farms as well as farming associations and other non-essential farming groups. Basically, this bill subsidizes those who do not need it. But these people make huge donations to political candidates and hire lobbyist. So, we get a Farm Bill that sounds all nice, warm and fuzzy.

Top Ten Reasons The Farm Bill is A Bad Idea.

Here’s at top ten list from the Heritage Foundation on why this Bill is a bad Bill.

Reason #1: The total cost of the massive farm bill is not known.
Reason #2: The farm bill will cost households at least $1,805 in higher taxes.
Reason #3: The farm bill will cost households $2,572 in inflated food prices.
Reason #4: The farm bill will provide subsidies to an already steady and thriving industry.
Reason #5: The farm bill targets its subsidies to the richest farms and agribusinesses.
Reason #6: The farm bill promotes further consolidation of farms.
Reason #7: The farm bill censors information regarding the recipients of subsidies.
Reason #8: The farm bill perpetuates outdated and unnecessary policies.
Reason #9: The farm bill is based on self-defeating policies that do not make economic sense.
Reason #10: The farm bill will reduce agriculture exports and lead to a trade war.

Kay Bailey Hutchison - Queen of the Earmarks?

Next up, everyone should know that our beloved Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison refused to sign FreedomWorks “no earmark pledge” plus she voted against Senator Dimints 1 year moratorium on earmarks. Shame on you Kay, we’ll be watching you and your record when you get ready to run for Govenor.

Now, back to the other Lawmakers and the Pork Projects they took home. Just remember folks, this is where your tax money goes. (courtesy of the Topeka Capitol Journal)

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., pushed to allow the federal government to sell portions of the Green Mountain National Forest to a ski resort in the state. Leahy’s office said the provision would save the Forest Service management costs for the land.

“Save the Forest Service management of the land” what a load of B.S.! So Senator Leahy, why not sell off all the freakin’ National Forest and then we could save all those management cost also!

Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., wants to allow state and local governments and nonprofits to issue $500 million in tax-credit bonds to buy forest land for conservation purposes. The provision would authorize the purchase of 400,000 acres of land in Montana from a single owner, the Plum Creek Timber Co.

Hmmm…what do you want to be that 400,000 acres of land is not profitable to the Plum Creek Timber Co.? I also bet they would sell it for a jacked up “market value” then deduct the “loss” from their taxes.

Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., pushed for $170 million in relief for the salmon crisis on the West Coast, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture argued the funds weren’t needed because West Coast salmon fishermen received $60 million in federal aid two years ago.

The only Salmon crisis I’ve been reading about on the West coast is the ones created by Politicians and special interest groups meddling in an industry they do not know anything about.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell included a tax break for horse owners that would benefit horse farms in his state of Kentucky. The provision ensures all race horses are depreciated over three years for tax purposes, regardless of when the horses start training. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this would cost $126 million over 10 years.

Yeah, we feel sorry for all those horse farmers. Why are horse farmers in Kentucky different from any other horse farmer? And since when do we farm horses?

Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., inserted a measure to curb the import of puppies for commercial sale from foreign puppy mills. The bill, backed the Humane Society, also strengthens the federal animal fighting law.

Good Ole Dick Durbin wasted more time, money and good air than what this is worth. Just another route for the Humane Society to get events they don’t agree with thrown into the animal fighting law. Hunters, are you listening?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., championed $175 million to provide water for desert lakes in his state.

Let me get this right? We’re now paying to fill lakes in the desert? Why?

Senators from Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland succeeded in including $382 million for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Conservation Program.

I wouldn’t have cared so much about this one, until I saw the $382 million price tag!

Baucus also got $1 million for a national sheep and goat industry improvement center.

Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, secured $10 million a year for five years for a program that helps people in poor, rural areas find housing.

Okay, 10 million a year for 5 years to help poor people to find housing. Isn’t this called a newspaper classifieds ad? Whose pockets will he be lining with this money?

The bill also authorizes funds for a drought mitigation center at the University of Nebraska, water systems for rural and native villages in Alaska, and a congressional hunger center.

Okay, I can understand water systems for rural villages in Alaska but that other crap? Perhaps we need to start sending these Congressmen and Senators home when they spend our hard earned money like this!

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Comments

One Response to “Pork Barrel Projects of Your Favorite Congressman and Senators”

  1. Pat Wacha on July 22nd, 2008 8:30 pm

    When will we ever get to the point that our president will have line-item veto? Some legislation might be good except for pork barrel items here and there, which (if authorized) could be stricken from the bill.

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