There is no pork barrel spending in the Stimulus package

February 3, 6:12 PMProgressive Politics ExaminerKaren Harper

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Sen. Shelby got $1.5m in pork barrel for Vulcan

Republicans love to spin their agenda while ignoring facts.  Republican propagandists are criticizing President Obama's Economic Stimulus package by using inflammatory language designed to outrage people.  They are applying the term "pork barrel" spending to parts of the Economic Stimulus package but they are wrong.

Pork barrel spending refers to spending that is designed to benefit constituents of a specific politician.  For example, Senator Richard Shelby got $1.5 million dollars as part of the 2000 Interior Department Appropriation bill to refurbish Birmingham's giant iron statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and forge.  Senator Shelby (R) successfully slipped the $1.5 million in to the Interior bill to please constituents back home in Alabama. 

The Obama Stimulus plan doesn't contain pork barrel spending (pet projects of various politicians like the Vulcan statue in Birmingham).  It does, however contain some spending that isn't specifically designed to address providing jobs.  And this is what the GOP is objecting to. 

There is $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.  Another $500 million is proposed for flood projects on the Mississippi River.  $6 billion would turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.  $500 million would go to state and local fire stations.  There's also a tax break for movie producers to buy motion picture film.  $850 million would go to Amtrak.  For a full list of what the GOP is objecting to and what GOP spin doctors are referring to as "pork barrel", go to this CNN article.

The GOP is trying to associate the Democratic party with pork barrel spending but the truth is that pork barrel spending has long been the domain of all politicians of all parties.  They do it to get re-elected.  It has worked extremely well for Senator Shelby.  It worked extremely well for Senator Ted Stevens (R) of Alaska too.  Adding $1 billion to the Stimulus package to help pay for the 2010 Census which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion is not pork barrel spending. 

Instead of using misnomers like "pork barrel spending" to explain why the GOP doesn't like Obama's Stimulus plan, Republicans should try to negotiate in good faith with the Democrats to stimulate the American economy.  Instead, they would like to give more tax cuts to the wealthy which Bush has proven in the very recent past doesn't work.  When the GOP says they want more tax cuts and breaks for small businesses, they're not talking about mom and pop corner stores struggling to stay afloat.  They're talking about companies that have less than 500 employees and make $5 million or less per year.   It's more of the same.  It's more of the same we've had from the GOP over the last eight years.  And Americans are tired of it.

 Correction note: Corrected spelling of Ted Stevens, former Senator from Alaska.