Wasting my tax $$$$ again

[AtlantaWalter]

Ya gotta love paying taxes knowing the $$$ goes to such noble causes...

While the Statue of Liberty remains shuttered for lack of $5 million in post-Sept. 11 upgrades, Congress in January mandated $10.7 billion in "earmarked" projects (also known as home-state "pork"), including: $50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa, $50 million to make sure a Florida beach resort bridge remains toll-free, $450,000 to decipher the gene structure of rainbow trout, $225,000 to repair a public swimming pool whose drain U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons of Nevada clogged with tadpoles when he was a kid, $200,000 to introduce golf to youngsters, $90,000 for the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, and, ironically, $500,000 for a University of Akron program that analyzes how Congress makes difficult budget decisions. [CBS News, 12-11-03; Associated Press, 12-6-03; Taxpayers for Common Sense press release, 12-8-03; New York Times, 12-20-03; Houston Chronicle, 1-26-03; Washington Post, 1-28-03]

http://www.newsoftheweird.com/archive/index.html

 

[jon_forward]

THESE people are the ones that we elected to represent us....they catch hell for voting the pork in....THEY DONT GET RE_ELECTED IF THEY DONT BRING HOME THE PORK....I do agree that the nonesense has to stop...

 

[Big D]

Those things you mention are just a drop in the bucket,
check out these costs:

http://www.eagleforum.org/psr/2003/feb03/psrfeb03.shtml

 

[Johnney]

$50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa

whoa...we have one of those?

 

[jon_forward]

coming soon to an area near you...... just what ya wanted right...a rain forest in frikking Iowa.....dont forget to thank the nice government person that voted for this...

 

[Johnney]

shit i wont be here to see it. im heading out in april to florida.

 

[acludem]

These "pork" projects are funded by slipping them into a bill that everyone has to vote for. The Iowa Rainforest project I don't know about, it could well be providing valuable information about how deforestation affects the world's ecosystem. Every Senator and Representative is expected to, excuse the pun, bring home the bacon. This is why you want your Senators/Reps on powerful committees. We complain about "pork" all the time, yet we all benefit from "pork" programs of some sort. Does your local college/university get federal funding? Did you get a Pell Grant? Do you drive on an interstate highway? Have you or anyone you know ever used the services of a United Way agency? Have you ever been to a hospital and recieved treatment?

All of these involved federally funded programs, some which most would call "pork". You can nitpick details all day, but most of these projects do have some purpose other than having fun with your tax dollars.

acludem

 

[sportzter5]

Don't forget the hundreds of millions, if not billions, we spend on welfare every year. Why we pay people to sit on their asses and watch tv all day is something I'd like to know. I mean why do taxpayers pay for public education, and then end up paying again for someone to sit around.

 

[jon_forward]

the rain forest project in Iowa.....In Omaha at the Henry Dooley Zoo...they have an outstanding project along the lines of what they want in Iowa....50 million buys alotta gas folks...