Smell The Pork

In a previous post, I wrote about a desire for President Obama to become a leader in the fight to cut excessive, unnecessary government spending, providing direction for our state. Coming off of Obama's State of the Union where he promised to end the hideous process of earmarks, my tongue was only partially in my cheek. He promised to veto those bills, and I still want to give him a chance to keep his word. Listening to his Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, though, it seems that promise doesn't actually take effect until next year, with Gibbs stating that Obama plans to sign the House passed spending bill filled with pork barrel projects. That's the nice thing about politics - you can make a promise during your campaign, and then win the power to decide when the promise should be enforced.

Gibbs explains that the earmarks are left over from last year, and that "We'll change the rules going forward." In essence, he wants to blame this on the previous administration, projects so vital to our nation that, because Bush didn't push them through, now Obama has to do so. One of these vital projects sticks out among the rest, at least as much for its irony as its cost: $1.7MILLION to study pig odor in Iowa. Take THAT fiction writers...truth really is stranger.

Fortunately, as reported here, there are still some Senators on both sides of the aisle who are keeping their promise to cut unwarranted spending. Most of these Senators are on the right, but there are at least two Democrats opposing the bill, and I applaud them. Because of this, the Senate is reconsidering the spending bill. As we continue to Can The Lottery, I urge another task for all readers. Call and email your Senators. Tell them to keep President Obama's promise to end earmarks, and to cut them out of this bill. We don't need nearly two million dollars to realize how much this pork stinks.