"It's time once again for a new round of Pin the Tail on the Porker," said the Los Angeles Times in an editorial. It's the same game with every big spending bill -- congressional rivals accuse each other of rail about wasteful earmarks congressional rivals have stuffed in. "The squealing has reached a crescendo as the Senate prepares to approve a $410-billion omnibus spending bill" with more than 8,500 earmarks costing nearly $8 billion.
The worse an omnibus spending bill like this gets, said William McGurn in The Wall Street Journal, the more likely it is to pass, and the more likely President Obama is to sign it. "The reasons confuse most Americans." But the bottom line is that each earmark gives members of Congress another selfish reason to vote for the bill by lavishing more federal money home on their constituents.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
-
What will the thaw in Russia-US relations cost Europe?Today's Big Question US determination to strike a deal with Russia over Ukraine means Europe faces 'betrayal by a long-term ally'
-
Why Spain's economy is boomingThe Explainer Immigration, tourism and cheap energy driving best growth figures in Europe
