Congressional Pork Wastes Taxpayer Money, Hurts Democracy

We often hear Members of Congress bemoan the federal budget deficit and the rising national debt that we are leaving future generations. Here's a little secret: the talk is all show, no substance. Our Members of Congress routinely approve billions of dollars in pork barrel spending each year – all at the expense of taxpayers.

In 2007, for example, the Democratic-led Congress approved $17 billion in legislative pet projects. According to Citizens Against Government Waste, $5.4 billion of that pork came from Democrat members, misguided Republicans added $4.3 billion to the pot and, in a rare display of bi-partisanship, the remaining $8 billion came from jointly sponsored projects by both Democrats and Republicans.

Pork projects included such gems as $211,059 for Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) for olive fruit fly research in Paris, France and $1.95 million for Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) for the narcissistically named Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service.

Then there was the $3 million inserted by the House Democratic Whip, James Clyburn (D-SC) into the Defense Appropriations Bill – the funding bill for our men and women in uniform – for something called The First Tee Program to teach kids how to golf. The list goes on and on, with legislators piling on with their own pork projects at taxpayer expense, including $149,000 for the Montana Sheep Institute, $188,000 for a Lobster Institute in Maine, and $98,000 for a walking tour of Boydton, Virginia.

But one of the most egregious examples of waste is a $23 million earmark by Congressman John Murtha (D-PA) for something called the National Drug Intelligence Center in his hometown of Johnstown, Pa. Federal law enforcement officials call it a waste of money, a diversion of funds that could better be used to fight drug trafficking along the Mexico border. In other words, it's a make-work project in Murtha's hometown. Jim Milford, a former top administrator at the federal Drug Enforcement Agency recently said of the Center that there is "really no reason for it."

There are no law enforcement, military or otherwise rational reasons for the agency. It exists because Murtha, the former Chairman of House Appropriations Committee, wants it. And beware anyone who dares cross his path.

When Congressman Mike Rogers, (R-Michigan), a former 44-year old FBI agent, tried to eliminate this waste of taxpayer dollars, Murtha went ballistic. Said Murtha: "I hope you don't have any earmarks in the Defense Appropriation Bill, because they are gone, and you will not get any earmarks now and forever." Democrats, including Congressman Sestak, voted against reprimanding Murtha for his threats.

And there in lies the real problem with pork barrel spending and earmarks. Yes, it is a waste of taxpayer money. Yes, the money could be better used to address real issues or fund more important priorities. And yes, eliminating pork would help reduce the federal budget deficit and the mounting debt we are leaving to our children and grandchildren.

But the real problem in my mind is that pork barrel spending is a form of corruption, plain and simple. It is terrible public policy and it hurts the democratic process. Congressmen are afraid to buck their party leadership for fear of their taxpayer-funded handouts being taken away. A Member of Congress may think, for example, that a piece of legislation is the worst public policy ever proposed. But leadership will dangle an earmark or pet project over their head like a carrot to a donkey --- promising to fund a project in exchange for their vote. Or, in some cases, they use the threat of defunding a pet project as a stick to coerce a vote.

That is not how Congress should work. Our elected officials should vote legislation up or down based on its merits, not through horse-trading and coercion of senior legislators who hold the purse-strings.

In the case of Congressman Sestak, the pork he brought back to the district may have merit and may be worthwhile. But what government integrity has he sacrificed to fund the pet projects? How often does he have to look the other way on truly useless and wasteful pork to get his pet projects funded?

If I am elected to Congress, I vow to the taxpayers of the 7th Congressional District that I will not seek nor accept any pork. I will not be beholden to the political power brokers of the party who dole out money for pet projects in exchange for votes. I will vote the will of the people I represent, not the will of party leadership.

Congress is broken. Earmark reform and an end to pork-barrel politics must happen now if we are going to truly cut wasteful spending and re-focus Congressional efforts on good public policy.

Craig Williams is the endorsed Republican candidate for Congress in the 7th District of Pennsylvania. As a former federal prosecutor, Williams prosecuted cases involving fraud against the federal government. A Marine combat veteran, Williams also served as an ethics advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For more information, visit his Web site at wwww.craigwilliamsforcongress.com