What Do the Democrats, the Republicans, and Porky Pig Have in Common?

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health, and Iraq Accountability Act was passed by the Democratically controlled House of Representatives on Friday. Much has been made of the fact that the measure requires the President to withdraw all military forces from Iraq by September 1, 2008. It will never become law because the President will veto it, and the Senate, with a slim Democratic majority and all sorts of tortuous rules, is unable to pass an enema let alone a measure or a law. None of this is really a surprise.

But the big story in the passage of this measure is that the Democrats (who promised otherwise should they be elected) have attached to it more pork than Porky Pig has relatives. Among the more delectable portions of fatty ham are such things as:

–$4 million for the Office of Women’s Health at the Food and Drug Administration.

–$5 million for tropical fish breeders and transporters for losses from a virus last year.

–$25 million for spinach that growers and handlers were unable to market, up to 75 percent of their losses.

–$50 million “for asbestos abatement and other improvements” to the Capitol Power Plant.

–$60.4 million for the National Marine Fisheries Service, “to be distributed among fishing communities, Indian tribes, individuals, small businesses, including fishermen, fish processors, and related businesses, and other persons for assistance to mitigate the economic and other social effects caused by” a commercial fishery failure.

–$74 million “for the payment of storage, handling, and other associated costs for the 2007 crop of peanuts to ensure proper storage of peanuts for which a loan is made.”

–$120 million for the shrimp and menhaden fishing industries to cover consequences of Hurricane Katrina.

–$283 million for the Milk Income Loss Contract Program.

–$400 million for “wildland fire suppression.”

–$25 million for spinach growers.

In response to these earmarks, Citizens Against Government Waste states, “It seems the commitment to reform was short-lived, as Congress fattens up the emergency spending bill with special-interest goodies.”

To be sure, Republicans have nothing to whine about now; they majored in the implementation of earmarks when they were in power. But the Democrats have revealed (surprise, surprise!) that they are no better, as Nancy Pelosi added all sorts of enticements into a measure that would get the votes of liberal Democrats, who did not want to support a spending bill that would finance the continued operations in Iraq. It may be a victory for her, but it is a defeat for the American people, who continue to be assaulted by pork-barrel politics that eternally rears its ugly head no matter which party is in power.

As I said in a previous post on this blog several month ago: SSDP (same stuff different party)… or to quote Porky Pig… “That’s all folks!”

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Cross-Posted at RedBlueChristian.