This article isn’t about the scuff marks on your cauliflowers as a result of being cuffed up to the side of the head by a parent. It is about pork being inserted into congressional bills by members of Congress. After reading the remarks of Marion Berry, Democrat representative from Arkansas, in the May 29^th 2006, edition of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, it wouldn’t hurt if someone cuffed him on the ears.

Mr. Berry is of the party that likes to spend and he said nothing would please him more than being known as King of Pork. To each his own but that sentiment expresses the problem that the nation faces with liberal Democrats being in Congress. Not that Republicans aren’t guilty of overzealous spending habits, for they are. Mr. Berry uses the excuse that he is just addressing the needs of the people of his district. When challenged about the earmarks, he said they don’t have near the impact on the budget as do the recent tax cuts Congress passed.

True to his Democrat ideology, Berry is actually saying that grabbing the dollars of hard working citizens to spread around in his district is fine but tax cuts which leave the tax payers with more dollars in their pockets are wrong. First of all there isn’t any provision in the United States Constitution, which he numerous times has sworn to uphold, to grab tax dollars for pork spending in his district. Two, by grabbing the tax money he is forcing everyone to share in his unconstitutional efforts. Three, he refuses to see that spending is the budget breaker, not tax cuts.

Earmarks according to Berry are only 29 billion out of an 843 billion dollar budget so what difference does a few billion here and there hurt seems to be his attitude. Everybody does it so he is just getting in line for what he sees as his right to grab dollars. In like manner, Republican Trent Lott said, “Earmarks are justified and legitimate…  I wouldn't give up my earmarks. Of course he wouldn’t, it isn’t his hard earned dollars.

The late Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois said, "A billion here and a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money." Apparently Berry doesn’t think 29 billion is talking about real money. I wonder if he considers 843 billion real money and ever considers why the budget is so out of control. When the whole issue is examined, it is apparent that Berry believes that every member of Congress has the right to dip into the tax funds for district projects that don’t benefit the nation as a whole. The Constitution very specifically sets forth in Article One, Section 8, the list of Enumerated Powers of Congress and earmarks aren’t one of the powers. Berry and his free spending cohorts should be challenged to show where their targeted spending for their districts is in the list.

Tax cuts have never busted a budget. The facts show that when people have more money in their pockets that the economy not only improves, but the tax coffers overflow with more revenue than before the tax cuts. However, when tax cuts boost the standard of living and make more opportunities possible, the Democrats always wail and moan that some are left out due to tax cuts, and if spending isn’t increased, terrible things will occur.

That’s probably true about terrible things occurring; the most bothersome for Berry and his pals being that their spending agendas gets derailed when people have more money to spend. That in fact reduces the need for the government’s help because private enterprise creates jobs, which negates the demand for social programs.

Earmarks are give away schemes that help re-elect people like Berry year after year. He says he has no problem with the earmarks he has requested. Of course not, the few million he wants isn’t real money. In Sorting It Out, Marion Berry is nothing more than a free spending liberal hack, and if anyone wants to cuff his ears and give him some real old fashioned earmarks, which he needs, get thee in line behind me.  

© 05-29-2006 DEC