The Scourge of the Pork-Barreler

As the time grows near for the presidential elections, we hear more and more about different issues and the stances that the candidates have on these issues. On such issue that really plagues me is that of pork barreling and the need for the line item veto. I keep hearing different congressmen calling for the need of the line item veto because of the scourge of pork barreling. The funny thing is, its from Congress that we see pork barreling. It is these very congressmen who are passing bills laden with subsidies and grants to create museums honoring the crab grass of western Lechter County, Kentucky.

Yet instead of standing up and fighting this scourge within their own chambers, they are passing the buck to the president. Last time I checked, it was a scary and dangerous thing when one branch of government began delegating and abdicating its responsibilities and giving another branch the power to act upon its own duties. Even when its quite obvious the line item veto is unconstitutional, as the US Supreme Court has ruled.

These congressmen like to point out that practically all the states in the union allow for a line item veto that their governors use, but unfortunately these very congressmen failed civics class. The Federal Constitution is NOT the same as the states' constitutions and therefore what one state does is NOT the same as what the federal government itself can do.

If congressmen are so up in arms with pork barreling, its time to man up, be courageous, and fight back in your own chamber of Congress the way the Founding Fathers dreamed you would. Otherwise, step down from office and let someone with cajones who isn't afraid of saying no take office. The Constitution was created with specific things in mind, and a separation of government was one of those purposes. Congress passes budgets and the president either signs the bill or vetoes the bill. The president does NOT write the bill, and Congress should not be delegating that power to him. Otherwise, Congress will no longer have any real power.