Pork Barrel Spending And Earmarks

I'll be willing to bet that very few Americans knew that the term 'Pork Barrel' derived from slave owners awarding their slaves with salt pork in a barrel when they over-achieved their quota in the fields; under-achievers received bare back lashes.

Here's the main problem with 'Pork Barrel Spending and Earmarks', the people who we voted into office to represent us, Democrats and Republicans, have embarked on a dangerous game. A representative will introduce legislation to allocate funds for poor children ranging from pre-school thru sixth grade to assure they be provided with breakfast and lunch as long as they come to school; it's kind of hard to concentrate on school work with hunger pains. At the same time another representative will introduce legislation to allocate funds for the study of the mating habits of the western caterpillar, and placed in the same bill. Then we have yet another representative to come out and proclaim the bill has 'Pork Barrel Spending' in it. I think it's a dam shame that we have elected officials proclaiming the mating habits of a caterpillar and providing food for poor children are equal; but this is the game that both parties play and it needs to stop. The only way to stop or at least slow down the 'Pork Barrel Spending' and the 'Earmark' non-sense are to re-name bills as priority bills and non-essential bills. This way the only things are permitted in the priority bills are education, funds for fixed income elderly, etc...

Does anyone notice when the lawmakers come out to give a briefing on the progress of the $700 billion bail out bill how many times they say, "the general public don't understand." Instead of them just telling us what they're trying to achieve, they're giving us code talk; which means they're trying to pull a fast one. Every one of these guys who come out to talk to the media are asked the same question by a reporter, "exactly what is the sticking point that's keeping the bill from passing." Each and every time, the answer goes something like, "we just need to work out a few sticking points and caucus with our members." What the hell does that mean? I'll tell you what it mean, we have some people who want something in the bill for people who have become homeless because of Wall Street shady dealings. And we have some people who want to provide funds so America's hardships doesn't affect foreign financial institutions; that way the Wall Street fat cats who have bank accounts overseas can still walk away with millions. I know some of my Democrat friends will be a little angry about this, but it's a fact Democrats and Republicans are trying to protect their fat cat friends.