I am tired of hearing about pork barrel projects being included in bills.  For example, just recently I was appalled to discover that the first $700 billion dollar financial crisis bailout (now $850 billion), the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, had several pork barrel projects.  Here are some examples from Taxpayers for Common Sense:

• This proposal would exempt from the excise tax any shaft consisting of all natural wood ... The estimated cost of the proposal is $2 million over ten years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.  The Oregon senators [Ron Wyden-D and Gordon Smith-R], were the initial sponsors of the provisions... The provision would be worth $200,000 to Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon.
• The bailout bill would give a tax break to Exxon Valdez plaintiffs... Rep. Don Young (R-AK) is a big supporter of this provision. Cost is estimated at $49 million.
• Under this program, the cost of production of qualifying films would be permitted to be immediately expensed... This provision also makes permanent other favorable tax treatments for production. Historically Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) has been a supporter... The cost is estimated at $478 million over 10 years.

I was saddened to see such wasteful spending added to a bill that was supposed to help lift this nation out of a recession.  I guess that giving handouts from the American taxpayer to select pork barrel recipients is the way of life on Capitol Hill.

This website would have an rss feed.

This website could also have a list of the "top porkers" -- the legislators who have been involved with the most pork barrel projects.

The idea is that if the sponsors of such projects are easily identified and publicized, they would be less likely to do it.