The Swine Line

King of Pork Sen. Robert C. Byrd had some choice words for CAGW in response to the 2008 Pig Book.

W.Va. Again Ranks High on Federal ‘Pork’ List

“This annual report, done by Washington insiders, is pure hogwash,” he stated. “An earmark may be pork to some political chatter box on television, but to many communities in West Virginia and other states, earmarks are economic lifelines. Earmarks may fund a road that has fallen into dangerous disrepair or a bridge that is on the verge of collapse. An earmark addresses economic needs that many times fall between the cracks of the Washington bureaucracy. “

When West Virginians need money to address their economic needs, they can’t call some unelected bureaucrat in the White House or a cabinet secretary, Byrd said.

“They call me!” he said. “And I look out for those interests in West Virginia and have not and will not ever apologize for my efforts on behalf of the good people I represent. This tired report is hogwash, I say, pure unadulterated hogwash!”

CAGW VP David Williams explained how earmarks hurt the country:

…Pork-barrel spending doesn’t make up a particularly large part of the federal budget, which runs in the trillions of dollars. But the more time politicians are preoccupied with getting this or that pet project funded, the less time they have to spend addressing issues that really matter, such as strengthening a weakening national economy, [CAGW Vice President of Policy David] Williams said.

“I am sure (taxpayers) would give up refurbishing the theater for an economy that is strong and puts more money in their pockets,” he said.