Republicans Like Pork Too

More proof that you can't trust politicians with other people's money came in today, as Tom DeLay engaged in one of the most amusing- and completely untruthful- exercises in speech in quite some time. Majority Leader DeLay is without doubt a very skilled politician. His financial acumen is equally doubtless- his LACK of financial acumen, that is!

Debra Saunders reported today that according to the Washington Times, DeLay declared an "ongoing victory" over cutting government spending. Well, Tom, have you taken a look lately at say, the highway bill? Or perhaps the other pork projects that your fat-cutting Congress has passed in the last few years?

Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste(C.A.G.W.), is set to release a list of over $2 trillion in pork that he says the government could and should cut. Even members of DeLay's own party aren't sure what he is talking about. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) even wondered if DeLay and he had been serving in the same Congress.

While we wait for the good folks at C.A.G.W. to get their own list up, the Heritage Foundation has a excellent summary of some of the more egregious pork in the federal budget for Mr. DeLay to work on in his "victory". A more detailed version of the Heritage Foundation's list can be found here .

Republicans used to be the party of fiscal restraint. But that was before they became the majority party. It appears that when in power, they are no better than the Democrats at restraining government spending. The only thing for which we can be grateful is that they do spend more on the important things- like our wonderful military- and they ado not appear ready to surrender to the next would-be tyrant or little tin god who comes along spouting a politically correct ideology, unlike the once-proud Democrats!

However, once again, this proves that a) politicians can't count and b) should NEVER be trusted with your money. Remember that the next time your neighborhood government representative is trying to convince you that Washington/your local government/etc can spend your money more responsibly than can you.