I still don't get it. I don't care how much pork my two idiot senators brought home, Feinstein and Boxer, I'd die before I'd vote for either of those two abominations. They could put all that pork money in my pocket and I still wouldn't vote for them. But I guess some people put their narrow parochial interests ahead of the good of their nation.
In any event, does Byrd even have the ability being in the minority now and not even the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee to still be directing all that pork back to West Virginia? I can't imagine he has much check writing capability in that regard anymore. If it was pork I wanted, I would think I'd be more likely to get it from a member of the majority party, which the GOP is still likely to be after these fall elections.
I live in California too...I think the difference is that W. Virginia would probably get nothing if it were not for pork producing Senators.
California will be fine on it's own. People of that state and other states like it believe they will be left in the cold if it weren't for someone bringing home the pork.
I don't like it and most others don't either, unless it means money and jobs for your state.