It's spring, so feds are deep in the trough

According to Citizens Against Government Waste, "If it's Spring in Washington, D.C., taxpayers must beware the running of the pigs!" They are, of course, referring to government "pork" projects.

My dictionary defines "pork" - slang - appropriations made by the government for political reasons rather than for public benefit. For instance:

$375 million - Sen. Lott for an amphibious assault ship to be built in his state that the Navy didn't want. This is the second unrequested ship he has forced to be built.

$275 million - Sen. Gebhart for 5 F-l5 fighters to be built in his district that the Pentagon didn't want.

$76.7 million - in Hawaii by Sen. Inouye

$45.9 million - in Alaska by Sen. Stevens

$17.5 million - in S. Carolina by Sen. Hollings.

Remember, these are for projects not for the public benefit.

$5.7 million for wood utilization research

$3.4 million for shrimp aquaculture

$1.3 million for peanut research

In all there were 365 "pork" projects totalling $17.7 billion, a 47 percent increase over FY 1999.

What makes responsible lawmakers disregard the country's real needs just to enhance their political posture? How many schools could have been upgraded? Instead of peanut research, couldn't money be better put into research for viable alternative fuels? Maybe even more funding to plug up our leaking borders.

Is it any wonder that the party bigwigs, on both sides of the aisle, were so frightened that Sen. McCain might make it to the presidency. He was against "pork" and for campaign reform. Two foundations on which the old boy networks depend to maintain their stranglehold on American politics.