Things that go oink in the night: despite tough economic times, Congress has approved federal monies for preschool anger management, sea-otter research and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame

0 Comments | Insight on the News, May 13, 2003 | by Sheila R. Cherry

Added to this list of head-scratchers was more than $6 million to help various states research "wood utilization"; $202,500 for facilities of the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Ala.; $750,000 for hovercraft development in Toledo, Ohio; $300,000 for Iowa State University's Universal Kitchen Design Project; and $500,000 for coffee importers and exporters. "Because, I suppose, a coffee shop on every street corner just isn't enough," a bemused Rep. Toomey groaned.

"It's hard not to find some humor in these things," Toomey says. "I just wish it were all a joke." But the fact is, he adds, that it is a huge expense for U.S. taxpayers. "This kind of wasteful spending costs us jobs," he says. "This is a clear and obvious misallocation of the capital of America. It is an example of the government taking resources from the productive private sector. Whether it takes it from borrowing or takes it in the form of taxes, it is using money that would otherwise be put to a much more productive and useful purpose."

But, the Pennsylvania Republican adds, "Instead it is being used in hopes of helping members of Congress enhance their political prospects with a very narrow and targeted project in their district. That's wrong and it is counterproductive for maximizing economic growth, which is what we should be all about."

Looking over the 439 projects highlighted in this year's Pig Book, who knew the entertainment and recreation industries were so strapped for cash that they needed a government bailout? The CAGW found that the Baseball Hall of Fame received $750,000 from your federal taxes; the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum got $350,000; and, not to be outdone, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame lassoed a cool $90,000. Also, CAGW analysts say, Congress gave $800,000 of your money to the GRAMMY Foundation and $90,000 to the American Film Institute. Even the Davenport, Iowa, Music History Museum managed $800,000, and the Roswell Museum and Arts Center, in the district of then-House Appropriations sub-committee on the Interior Chairman Joe Skeen (R-N.M.), pulled $340,000 as a result of the representative's clout.

But American interests did not selfishly crowd out pork for international projects, according to the CAGW. For instance, there was that $2 million for the Open World Leadership Center. In fiscal 2002 Congress had provided $8 million for that one, but reined in its generosity in fiscal 2003. The program was renamed, CAGW said, having previously been called the Russian Leadership Development Fund, known for flying "Russian political, business and community leaders to the United States to visit the Festival Flea Market in Florida and a swing dance."

The Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Agencies budget appropriation, CAGW charged, was a trough from which members of Congress scooped up $181 million in pork projects. For example, in the House, $25 million went for the International Fund for Ireland to finance "projects that hold the greatest potential for job creation and equal opportunity for the Irish people"; $4 million was provided to fund international fertilizer development; and $2.7 million more was sent to finance the anti-U.S. United Nations. And, despite "water wars" in our own country, Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) managed to flush out $2.5 million for the International Arid Lands Consortium to address water and energy issues in the Middle East.