$388 billion package will fund "Wild American Shrimp Initiative" and more

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Washington Spending: Pass the Pork, Please

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,139458,00.html

WASHINGTON — Austerity in big-ticket government programs hasn't dulled lawmakers' appetite for special interest spending (search) items that curry favor back home.

The spending plan awaiting President Bush's (search) signature is packed with them, doling out $4 million for an Alabama fertilizer development center, $1 million each for a Norwegian American Foundation in Seattle and a "Wild American Shrimp Initiative," and more, much more.

Despite soaring deficits, lawmakers from both parties who approved the $388 billion package last weekend set plenty of money aside for home-district projects like these, knowing they sow goodwill among special interests and voters. They also raised the ire of Sen. John McCain (search), R-Ariz., a pork-barrel critic who took to the Senate floor to ask whether shrimp are so unruly and lacking initiative that the government must spend $1 million on them. "Why does the U.S. taxpayer need to fund this `no shrimp left behind' act?" he asked.

Among items in the package: $335,000 to protect North Dakota's sunflowers from blackbirds, $2.3 million for an animal waste management research lab in Bowling Green, Ky., $50,000 to control wild hogs in Missouri, and $443,000 to develop salmon-fortified baby food.

[Vickers]

1. "no shrimp left behind" Bwahahahahaha!

Too bad he is just as stupid as all these other dumbfuck fiscal conservatives (sic).

[Winamericaback]

2. Do you have a link

to the actual budget? Can I find it on senate.gov? I tried to look for it yesterday but it wasn't anywhere to be found.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. No, sorry, I just found the article n/t

[donsu]

3. salmon-fortified baby food!!! the Mercury filled salmon?

the salmon pregnant women and children are not supposed to eat because of the Mercury?

but of course

the big time fishing industry needs to sell those salmons.

[FloridaCrat]

4. This is payback time for shrub's "base"

Why do you think the repugs donate so much money to the GOP and shrub? It's not because they like democracy or are committed to government for the people, by the people. GOP donations are exactly like a business - they invested in bush and now they are rewarded with much greater return than their outlay. Looks like a no-brainer, smart business to me.