“In The Congress, We Have Our Own Rules.”

A refrain all of us hear on a regular basis is that members of Congress are out of touch with the voters, the very people who elected them to office in the first place.

And the following is a prime example of just how commonplace this has become. The report first aired over a year ago, but the meaning of the message is still the same.

In direct violation of Federal law, Pennsylvania 11th District Congressman Paul Kanjorski wants to earmark 5.6 million dollars to build a parking garage in his hometown.

A building that has been empty for three years.

But according to the Congressman, this is “free money.”

Sorry Congressman, these funds don’t appear out of thin air, this is our money you are talking about.

And when questioned about the Federal statute he is violating, his response is:
“I don’t think the rule should have any attention paid to it. In the Congress we have our own rules.”

Congress has rules?

This is the first I’m hearing about it.

Senator Tom Harkin…The King Is Dead, Long Live The King!

Of course, Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), didn’t make that statement, I chose to confer that honor upon him myself.
For years, Pennsylvania Congressman Jack Murtha has been known as the “King of Pork.”
And it is kind of ironic that Mr. Murtha would loose his crown to a pig.
Now before any of you accuse me of calling Senator Harkin a pig, allow me to explain.

In the massive spending bill that just went through Congress, there are the usual “porky little amendments”, as New York Senator Charles Scuhmer calls them, such as 2 million dollars to promote astronomy in Hawaii, half a million dollars to study the effects of aromatherapy on fruit flies, and all the others that are guaranteed to keep the bacon frying.

But Senator Harkin is far and away the clear winner.
Not only did he obtain a huge earmark for his home state of Iowa,  but he secured this pork for pork!

Senator Harkin’s home state will receive an earmark of 1.7 million dollars for “Swine Odor And Manure Management Research.”
The purpose of this legislation is to “research swine diet and study the gastrointestinal tract to reduce odor production and improve nutrient utilization.”

Some of you may think that isn’t enough money to get the job done.
But you should know that this latest allocation is on top of the 1.9 million dollars that has been earmarked for and spent on this project in each of the last two years.

Are you starting to see why I feel Senator Harkin has dethroned Congressman Murtha?

How can you deny the title and the crown to someone who has spent five and a half million dollars for studying why pig poop stinks?
If you have to waste 5.5 million of the taxpayer’s money on a pork-barrel project, what better way to spend it than on smelling pork poop?

I hope I haven’t offended the Senator, because I’d like to end this with a request.

Senator Harkin, if I were to switch parties and move to Iowa, do you think you can funnel a few million bucks my way so I can study why water is wet?