Oink! Book Has Congress' Biggest Porkers

(CBS)  The newest "pig book" - detailing the biggest congressional porkers - is out Wednesday, and it's filled with questionable pet projects paid for by your tax dollars. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson takes a look.

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Despite all the talk on Capitol Hill about the need to cut back and even halt earmarks, the latest report shows it's an addiction many seem to find hard to break.

Helping disadvantaged youth get into the game of golf sounds like a good idea. That's what a program called "First Tee" does. It's got tons of corporate support.

And First Tee is overseen by a group with a contingent of executives pulling in healthy, six-figure salaries.

So why is $3 million of your tax money also going to support it? And from the military budget. no less?

It's all thanks to Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who gave First Tee the money in an earmark.

An earmark is a grant of money outside the normal public review.

"You know, when you're at war, and you know you got a war on two fronts, the first thing you think of is golf, isn't it?" said Leslie Paige, vice president of the tax watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste. "That's the first thing that comes to mind."

First Tee is just one of the so-called "pork projects" highlighted in the new "Pig Book," put out by Citizens Against Government Waste.

The Pig Book portrays a Congress with an insatiable appetite for "pork," spending your tax dollars on pet projects, often to help members win votes - or campaign contributions.

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Citizens Against Government Waste 2008 Pig Book Summary

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There's $3 million to help the diamond trade.

Nearly a $1million to manage noxious weeds in Idaho.

And there's money for the National Mule and Packers Museum, and a walking tour of a tiny town in Virginia - with a population of 474.

There are more earmarks than ever this year - 11,600 of them - totaling more than $17 billion tax dollars.

What's wrong with members of Congress trying to get money for their district?

"There is no competitive bidding," Paige said. "There is no accountability. So this is money that is secretive and unaccountable. That is not a way to spend taxpayer dollars. In fact, it is an invitation to corruption."

Enough members of Congress agree with that thought that there's been a push to stop all earmarks. At least temporarily.

Both Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, voted for the moratorium, but it hasn't gotten enough support to pass.

Does that mean Obama and Clinton aren't big earmarkers?

While they both say they want a moratorium, both have a healthy load of earmarks going this year - nearly $300 million worth for Clinton and nearly $100 million for Obama.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate for president, simply doesn't do earmarks.

[BlueInWI]

How about a story on tax incentives for oil companies, bailing out Bear Stearns when the most Federal insurance you or I can get on their savings is $100,000, or no bid contracts in Iraq?

Oops. Sorry - that might impact some of CBS''s sponsors. Nevermind.

Earmarks are a problem. But they have actually dropped as a percentage of the budget since the Dems took control; and Republicans blocked reform in this area for the 6 years they were in control; while also running up an additional $4,000,000,000,000 in federal debt.

Thanks for reminding me why I don''t watch CBS News, or any other mainstream corporate media outlet, anymore.

How about a story about the U.S. servicewomen raped and sodomized by KBR and American soldiers in Iraq that was reported in the Nation and other magazines?... Oops, sorry - I forgot CBS wants to keep the FCC happy so it will cut merger regulations even further...

[rebelscout]

Hey coco0331 google or yahoo search citizens against goverment waste. They have the list on their site.

[coco0331]

Attkisson pointed to three Democrats, no republicans, and said a lot of nothing. I don''t agree with the first Tee idea at all. She might have directed everyone on how to obtain a copy.

[rushlimpdrug]

The true idiots are those who feel themselves superior enough to judge others to be idiots.
Posted by guysdigdirt at 05:27 PM

How true.
Also in the idiot category are guys that think guys dig dirt and yet they themselves bathe and wash their trucks.

[arlt1627]

Chuck Hagel one great American and would vote for him today if I could I can hear him now what he would do. The only republican I would vote for

Posted by starleo14672 at 04:44 PM : Apr 02, 2008


Totally agreed. However, I''d love to see members of both parties come more to the middle like Hagel. And better yet, see those people get support during Primary seasons to actually be considered for President. Why is it that "moderate" Americans do not demand moderates get into office???

[bobnjersey]

[The true idiots are those who feel themselves superior enough to judge others to be idiots.]
[Posted by guysdigdirt at 05:27 PM : Apr 02, 2008]

this is true ... if they only feel that way.

[arlt1627]

So if Boeing is not American, does that mean Ford Motors is NOT American then?

[guysdigdirt]

it''''s really quite simple ... anyone who defends the idiots ... are idiots themselves.

Posted by bobnjersey

The true idiots are those who feel themselves superior enough to judge others to be idiots.

[vrwctoo]

Sosoe...

Yet another person who knows little. What do you mean McCain lobbyied for the fuel tanker? He didnt lobby for anything. He just had an investigation that exposed Boeing''s corruption, that all started with... AN EARMARK for a no-bid lease for Boeing''s tankers!! People went to jail, Boeing was fined. Look it up.

The Air Force finally did it right, they had an open bid process and Boeing lost and Northrop Grumman won. Last I checked, Northrop is an American company. They are just working with EADS.

Check out Boeing''s plane parts, they are made overseas too.

Get your facts straight.

[sosoe-2009]

McCain doesn''t do earmarks, he just DOES LOBBYIST!! McCain and his ADVISORS LOBBIED for a 35 BILLION contract to take jobs from Boeing Aircraft workers. McCain helped give the contract to a EUROPEAN company. Way To Go!!