A little pork cracklin'

Isn't this interesting from the Washington Times an editorial called Pork, Pelicans and Louisiana.

The Pork: Louisiana's congressional delegation presenting Washington with a request for $250 billion in federal reconstruction funds for Louisiana alone. That's more than $50,000 per person in the state. And since the entire country will foot the bill, it will cost $1,900 per American household.

The Pelican: The bill would create a "Pelican Commission" to oversee the Army Corps's work. But if history is our guide, we know that the opportunity for fraud and waste will be unprecedented. New Orleans is currently the third most-indicted city government in the entire country.

The Lousianans: Finally, the bill's author, Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, said, "Louisiana will be rebuilt by Louisianans. New Orleans will be rebuilt by New Orleans." However Mrs. Landrieu certainly does not expect Louisiana to pay the bulk of the cost. She wants all the power and none of the burden. The bill waves the normal cost-sharing requirements and shift the entire cost to the federal government. In other words, Mrs. Landrieu is expecting federal taxpayers to foot 100 percent of the bill.

On a side note. This bill is 440 pages long. In the bill the lawmakers (choking on that word, BTW) are stuffing the pork roast with examples like, monies for alligator and dairy farmers, laboratory and research facilities, diverse military construction projects, etc.