Priorities v. Pork
Rep. Dougall earlier posted a good entry on the pork in the federal transportation bill.
In normal course, Utah's highway projects are prioritized years in advance by the state legislature, transportation department, and transportation commission. It is intentionally tough to alter the order of those projects; you might say that it would take an act of Congress.
Through earmarking, Congress messes up the State's priorities (not to mention bloating the size of the federal deficit). Earmarking takes general money that would flow to Utah and dedicates it to specific projects -- often, projects that the Legislature has given low priority or no priority. In other words, Congress effectively vetoes the priorities set by the people who better understand the State's overall transportation needs.
Why would Congress undercut the State's priorities in such a way? Patronage. Smoke. And mirrors. Press releases will proudly (and misleadingly) proclaim that pork has been brought home for projects X, Y, and Z. Pork here, pork there, pork everywhere. But, the press releases won't explain that, once the total appropriation amount for the bill was set, the same money was headed here in any event. It won't be said that, without a single earmark, Utah would have received the same amount of money. It won't be said that the money has just been shuffled. It won't be said that the earmarking will cause other projects with higher priorities to now be delayed. And, of course, it won't be said that the cost of this silly exercise is billions and billions of wasted taxpayer dollars.
Solution: stop earmarking; it just inflates the total cost of the bill and inefficiently undercuts local planning efforts. Better yet, get the federal government out of the highway business. Downsize the federal government and its associated tax burden in this area, and wish the states well with their road system.
In normal course, Utah's highway projects are prioritized years in advance by the state legislature, transportation department, and transportation commission. It is intentionally tough to alter the order of those projects; you might say that it would take an act of Congress.
Through earmarking, Congress messes up the State's priorities (not to mention bloating the size of the federal deficit). Earmarking takes general money that would flow to Utah and dedicates it to specific projects -- often, projects that the Legislature has given low priority or no priority. In other words, Congress effectively vetoes the priorities set by the people who better understand the State's overall transportation needs.
Why would Congress undercut the State's priorities in such a way? Patronage. Smoke. And mirrors. Press releases will proudly (and misleadingly) proclaim that pork has been brought home for projects X, Y, and Z. Pork here, pork there, pork everywhere. But, the press releases won't explain that, once the total appropriation amount for the bill was set, the same money was headed here in any event. It won't be said that, without a single earmark, Utah would have received the same amount of money. It won't be said that the money has just been shuffled. It won't be said that the earmarking will cause other projects with higher priorities to now be delayed. And, of course, it won't be said that the cost of this silly exercise is billions and billions of wasted taxpayer dollars.
Solution: stop earmarking; it just inflates the total cost of the bill and inefficiently undercuts local planning efforts. Better yet, get the federal government out of the highway business. Downsize the federal government and its associated tax burden in this area, and wish the states well with their road system.
posted by steve u. at 10/06/2005
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5 Comments:
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I like it, but with porkbarrel politics so entrenched in Washington, can it be successfully dismantled?
Absolutely! When the people and competent legislators are seriously committed to change, change occurs. The keys are for more people to know the real facts, open the legislative process to more public scrutiny, and dedicate ourselves to making the change happen (outreach, PR, elections, etc.). BTW, technology and blogging can help on all three steps.
On this issue, for example, pork barrel spending only works to run up the deficit and undercut locally-established transportation priorities. (Anyone care to argue this point?)
What if more people knew this? What if politicians knew they wouldn't be able to fool the people into thinking they had accomplished something worthwhile by "bringing home the pork!" The practice would be recognized for the wasteful charade it is. Then, the practice would diminish and could be dismantled.
I'm glad someone out there has the guts to take this on. Rep. Dougal has a great post about the effects of pork funding here.
Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) has it right:
As Chairman of the RSC (Republican Study Committee) Mike understands that under a Republican controlled House, Senate and WH, Republicans have made LBJ appear tighter than Ebineezer Scrooge in comparison to their own.
Republicans are spending money like drunken sailors or shore leave!
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