And, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, be sure that there are politicians from your party who are, so to speak, bringing home the bacon. As it turns out, however, they're not bringing it home for the U.S. or even for their constituents. Essentially, the bacon is going into their own pantry.
What am I ranting about? This.
If what is legal becomes the norm rather than what is moral, we are all going to be very poor. The names of these people should be on the front page of the Washington Post every day until election day and their constituents should vote them out of office regardless of what they have “accomplished” with other people’s money.
This isn’t just pork. It’s special pork. I don’t know what to call it. Maybe the other other white meat.
A U.S. senator from Alabama directed more than $100 million in federal earmarks to renovate downtown Tuscaloosa near his own commercial office building. A congressman from Georgia secured $6.3 million in taxpayer funds to replenish the beach about 900 feet from his island vacation cottage. A representative from Michigan earmarked $486,000 to add a bike lane to a bridge within walking distance of her home.
Thirty-three members of Congress have directed more than $300 million in earmarks and other spending provisions to dozens of public projects that are next to or within about two miles of the lawmakers’ own property, according to a Washington Post investigation.
I have long held the belief that politicians should place all their assets in a trust tied to the financial well being of the country. So, If the nation improves, they improve.
With things like what you bring to light in this Washington Post article though such an idea would be almost irrelevant. Perhaps looking at their assets value before entering office then again after leaving office and comparing that to the nation might be more useful. So sure, you can build that footbridge, but lets say that it raises your property value by 10% and the nation has improved by 5% then you now pay the nation 5% of your new property value.
It is hard to fight graft.
Of course it is not just Congress, according to a PBS program I listened to (yes conservatives sometimes listen to PBS) executive branch pork and staffer pork* puts direct congressional pork to shame by sheer scope.
Maybe I have been listening to to much Brad Meltzer.
* example: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111209/10151917022/shockingly-unshocking-two-congressional-staffers-who-helped-write-sopapipa-become-entertainment-industry-lobbyists.shtml
Posted by: R.K. Brumbelow | Wednesday, February 08, 2012 at 01:49 PM