I've read a lot of anti-porkbarrel rhetoric, but rarely is it as hard hitting as this one slamming embattled Montana Senator Conrad Burns.
Making the world safe for walleyes?
It's embarrassing to see a Montana fish hatchery included in the bill providing emergency funding for troops in Iraq.
We enjoy fishing as much as the next guy. But our need to fight the big one hardly rates as important as the needs of those who are, well, fighting The Big One - the war in Iraq. So, it's with more than a little embarrassment that we see a $5 million appropriation for a Montana fish hatchery tacked onto the U.S. Senate's $80 billion "emergency" supplemental military spending bill. What in the heck does that have to do with fighting a war?
It gets better...
That $5 million is the last installment of $25 million the federal government is spending on a hatchery at Fort Peck to raise warm-water fish, such as walleye. The hatchery has become a pet project of Montana's Republican Sen. Conrad Burns. Walleyes are among the best table fare swimming, but something tells us these fish are going to leave a bad taste.
There's a lot of that going around, and it is downright unpatriotic.
Ouch. Although as far as failing to protect the US, Burns' vote against border security today is probably a worse offense.
Attaching lesser priorities to the highest priorities is a form of legislative parasitism. In essence, Montana is equating its fish hatchery with the lives of American men and women now in harm's way. Indeed, while our soldiers and Marines are risking death and maiming in a bid to promote democracy in Iraq, Montanans are busy promoting walleye fishing. Are we sure we wouldn't rather wait until every soldier in Iraq has body armor and every Humvee they drive at least has some scrap iron welded to the bottom?
Our politicians should treat these appropriations bills with the seriousness they deserve. They should be limited to the purpose at hand. Our politicians have re-election in mind while our troops are placing their lives on the line.
Burns' real claim to fame is his ability to bring home the pork. Hitting him on this issue is attacking his strength. And btw, the Missoulian is by no means a left-wing paper.
Thirddegree will be running our first anti-Burns radio ads in late May/early June - please join us