Abound Pork on the Stimulus Package

In chapter 27, the usage of Pork has shifted our economy in ways of it being too much. The intention of using Pork is to abet the troubled economy for the common good. In the fall of 1997, President Clinton passed a bill with the "madness of budget" which consisted several earmarks. However Congress "rushed to cram a year's worth of budget writing into the waning weeks before the midterm elections." This included several random sampling of pork barrel projects unnecessary at the time which was not for the better of the economy. In the stimulus package today, there also are random sampling of pork barrel projects found in the package. For example, "there is a $200,000 allocated to the task of tattoo removal as Representative Howard Berman of California wanted." Another would be "$2 million for swine odor and manure for Tom Harkin." Money isn't spent for the better of the economy; we are in an emergency state to provide for the common good. It doesn't end there, "$8 billion for high-speed rail projects", and serveral others for human services, tax and mediciad provisions. The abuse of pork barrel projects has gone too far in the stimulus package which is leading our ecomony in a harder setting to get out of recession.

In chapter 28, it outlines on how the usuage of pork is necessary if bills are wanting to be passed, on how the usuage of pork can not be disregarded. With the usage of pork, it is also a way the senators/house can do their jobs by putting an earmark on the stimulus package. Not only that but also keep in touch with districts and make them brag about all the things wanted in a district to pass a bill. The new majority used earmarks as a means of "protecting vulerable incumbents by showing their ability to secure funds for local projects." Another example is that the earmarks are the things which bring new jobs into the large amount of people unemployeed these days. "By securing funding for a project that brings new jobs to a depressed community or for much needed infrastructure repairs, a legislator can show what they can do for their community." Earmark are needed in my cases; it was a way for Congress to secure funds for important projects that they may have better knowledge than others outside of a district. It's a way a accommodate the people in that particular district for the benefit of Congress members and for the benefit of the people living in the district. It may hinder the ecomony, by spending it on projects unnecessary compared to the economic crisis today, but without it, there would be no consent of the people to run the government.

Sources:

1. http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/earmarksFAQ/
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2009/02/01/GR2009020100154.html
3. http://www.8000credit.org/150/
4. The Enduring Debate Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, Fourth Edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 2005. ch 27-28