Pork Barrel Spending

In modern times pork barrel spending, pork barrel projects, pork barrel bills, pork barrel politics, and earmarks, all pretty much mean the same thing - wasteful spending by congress. Its the practice of getting legislation passed that funds pet projects in a politicians home state or district. Politicians also trade votes for bills that contain earmarks and pork, to help each other out.

Since members of Congress, rarely get re-elected without showing that they have financially benefited their constituents, earmarks and pork barrel spending is a way of life in Washington’s legislative process. In essense its a way to exchange favors, as well as a way to get re-elected.

Although most people agree Pork Barrel spending is considered government waste, its rarely complained about by the people receiving the benefits. Using federal taxpayer money to further one’s personal political goals is rarely a good thing. Pork barrel spending will, most certainly be a big part, of the American political process, until the public insists that the practice be stopped.

Pork Barrel History

Before refrigeration, foods such as salted pork and cured bacon were very popular, because they could be stored for long periods of time, without spoiling. During the early 19th century, salt pork was usually packed, shipped, and stored in wooden barrels - hence the name "pork barrel".

In 1845, James Fenimore Cooper, used the the term "pork barrel" as an analogy to a family's financial well being. He wrote "I hold a family to be in a desperate way, when the mother can see the bottom of the pork barrel."

In many contexts "pork" was used as slang for "money" and we can see where expressions such as "bringing home the bacon", and "scraping the bottom of the barrel" originated from.

In 1863, Edward Everett Hale wrote a short story in which he used the term "pork barrel" as a metaphor, to describe any kind of public spending on its citizens.

In 1909, according to the Oxford English dictionary, the term "pork barrel" was used for the very first time to describe regional favoritism in government spending.