[SuziQ]

The federal agency that tracked pork-barrel spending during the 12 years of the Republican congressional majority has discontinued the practice since Democrats took power, riling lawmakers suspicious of the timing and concerned about the pace of fat being added to bills.

Why was a federal agency needed in the first place, and who authorized it? If the Republicans want to know if there is pork in the bills, then they need to put their staffs to work READING the dang things!

It's kinda like the pot calling the kettle black, though, because the Republicans piled on the pork the last few years themselves, and their spending was out of control. That's one of the reasons so many of them lost their bids for re-election in 2006.

[janereinheimer]

Does any congressperson read any of the bills -- in entirety -- or just the paragraph, or sentence, or phrase that they inserted so that they could say they co-sponsored?

You'd think their salary of $162,500 would motivate them to do at least a part of what they're getting paid for.

Or do they get elected to this superpowerful position and then immediately see themselves as nonworking celebrities?

[newgeezer]

Republicans piled on the pork the last few years themselves, and their spending was out of control. That's one of the reasons so many of them lost their bids for re-election in 2006.

Yeah but, if we listen to certain voices around here, the best thing we can do is keep on voting straight-ticket "R".

Dislike the megatons of pork piled on by Republicans? Get over it. Got a problem with the bloated federal government made bigger by Republicans? Get over it! Hey, if you don't shuttuppa you face and vote "R," YOU are a huge part of the problem because YOU are helping to electing Democrats!! /sarc