When the Pigs Keep Getting Fat

As of Thursday, February 7, 2013

It takes a natural disaster for politicians to take advantage of voters’ wallets.

The $50 billion Hurricane Sandy relief package is loaded with lard. It contains, among other things, money for Amtrak expansion project, government autos and fisheries in Alaska and Mississippi. An amendment to adjust failed miserably.

The American taxpayer absorbs the ultimate rip-off. Politicians are again having a free-for-all with the Treasury. It was estimated that from the proposed package, every woman, man and child in New Jersey would receive $4,200. Political porkers lined up to get their greedy hooves on the Treasury kitty.

Look at these expenditures: $5.3 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers (no accompanying statement for priorities); $11.7 billion to help repair New York City subways; $125 million for the Department of Agriculture’s emergency program for watershed damage by wildfires and drought; $2 million for Smithsonian Institution; $50 million for subsidies in tree planting on private property; $188 million for an Amtrak project to curb bottlenecks (this expense was on the table well before Sandy), says the Club for Growth, an influential political group who urged restraint to the pork packages riding on the taxpayers’ wallets.

Is there any wonder there is such a low rating for politicians among the public? Public opinion arises when fast and furious spending begins. Want to hear more”? How about $150 million for fisheries in Sandy and other natural disasters; $20,000 for a new car for the inspector general; $10.8 billion for the Federal Transportation Administration; $4 million for repairs at the Kennedy Space Center; and $3.3 million for the Plum Island Animal Disaster Center?

Why the urgency for passage? Political re-election, of course. A sensible realistic alternative budget was soundly defeated. Politicians turned on the disaster spigot for taxpayers.

A.L. Capel Jr.

Troy

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JimRussell44 3 months, 2 weeks ago

It's good you called these people on the carpet, Mr Capel. I was shocked, shocked I say, to hear that this sort of goings on is happening in our government. Since you have uncovered these sinister events, could you maybe do a little more digging and reveal the culprits involved?

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 2 weeks ago

pork is not the problem, 14 percent real unemployment is the problem, if unemployment was back to 4 - 5 percent there would be no debt issue.

emb6683 3 months, 2 weeks ago

JimRussell44 20 hours, 33 minutes ago It's good you called these people on the carpet, Mr Capel.

Good deep humor JR.

http://www.capelrugs.com/

emb6683 3 months, 2 weeks ago

It's not MY congressmen that are wasting taxpayers money, it is the other guys congressmen.

$300,000 for exhibits at the Morris Museum in Morristown NJ is a complete waste of money, but $500,000 for the teapot Museum in Sparta, NC is a valid expenditure of funds.

I'm with WDD, each spending bill should stand on its own but that will never happen.

AFCHIEF 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Give me an excel spreadsheet with the budget this is so easy to fix.

teufelhunden 3 months, 2 weeks ago

This country is on a fast track to serious trouble. There are going to be sooo many more people collecting from the government here in the near future, it will be impossible to sustain. I thought this was supposed to be a great society? This 'culture' is deplorable. Medicaid is going to be a disaster with sooo many more people!!! The states will go bankrupt. Like putty in the feds hands. They are controlling their future by controlling ours. Get it? We are all suckers. The federal government is not going to be able to handle it either. Look for more poverty, crime and depravity. When people are desperate, things will get really ugly really fast. Our government is counting on there being so much diviseness and chaos...wait, that's happening now. We are so complacent in this country it's scary. So much waste and so much fraud. It will bite us in the rear. This whole Obamacare monstrosity will be RIDICULOUS!!!!

teufelhunden 3 months, 2 weeks ago

So yeah DR the dems "won" this "culture" war thingy. In fact, they own it!!! Great job!!! In the process our country is losing it's shirt.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Glad you're still thinking about that column, teufel.

babiehop 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Mr. Capel can't truly believe "It takes a natural disaster for politicians to take advantage of voters’ wallets.", can he ? With politicians, it's a 24/7/365 directive. When the opportunity arises, sure they'll use a disaster to hide things under, but if we would all pay a little closer attention, they do it ALL THE TIME. Blatantly even, when they decide to show up for work, that is. After all, their wallets are pretty much immune to the decisions that they make that affect all of the rest of us. They have lobbyists that look out for them regardless of fiscal cliff or natural disaster.

teufelhunden 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Yeah I think about it all the time---our culture, that is. I see so much going to crap and it's sad. I think about what the future will be like and I hope I'm wrong!!!