Even now, they can't resist. Tacked onto the Senate version of the Emergency Stabilization Act (bailout) are gobs of tax relief, energy incentives, and other miscellaneous acts or modifications and extensions to existing acts.
The added sections include:
DIVISION B--ENERGY IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION ACT OF 2008
DIVISION C--TAX EXTENDERS AND ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX RELIEF
one example within this section:
SEC. 503. EXEMPTION FROM EXCISE TAX FOR CERTAIN WOODEN ARROWS DESIGNED FOR USE BY CHILDREN.
This item, well touted in the media, is the wooden arrow excise tax exemption, inserted by the Oregon Senators, to the tune of $2 million over ten years. This $200,000 oer year exemption is said to benefit Rose City Archery in Myrtle Point, Oregon.
What does this have to do with stabilizing the financial situation?
I doubt Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith of Oregon will feel any shame regarding this piece of pork. No, they are bringing home the bacon to at least one grateful Oregon constituent.
What's another $200,000 loss of government revenue a year? Whether you think pork is okay when it comes home to your state, or not, it is outrageous to add it to this bill. A prime example of how the legislature works. And why there is such disgust with the way of government.
This is how the Federal Legislature works. In order to garner votes, such crap is allowed into all sorts of bills. This is why line item veto would be a welcome addition to the Executive. (The argument against line item veto is the power the Executive would then have to keep a legislator in line.)
If the Emergency Financial Stabilization Act is that critical, why could they not restrict this legislation to that crisis alone? Obviously, it was not that important to those legislators who had to be wooed by the addition of extraneous items, including some pork.
The colonials used to use tar and feathers in protest,. Maybe the time has come for slathering lard on the most egregious offenders?
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