Dr. Coburn Says Shorter “Pig Book” Good News for Taxpayers
March 7, 2007
Dr. Coburn released the following statement regarding the release of Citizens Against Government Waste’s 2007 Pig Book:
“The tide is turning in the earmark debate because American taxpayers and groups like CAGW have told Congress that it’s time to shut down the favor factory. While it’s good news that this year’s Pig Book is considerably shorter, we have a lot of work to do to truly end this corrupting practice. The fact is, all the pork that wasn’t in this year’s pig book is in a holding pen. If taxpayers and groups like CAGW drop their guard, congressional appropriators will push that pork back into spending bills at their first opportunity,” Dr. Coburn said.
“I hope every American reads this book and demands that Congress and President Bush complete the job and close down the favor factory once and for all. The American people have always understood, I believe, that the battle about earmarks has always been about more than earmarks. This battle is about whether Congress continues business as usual politics or sobers up and deals with the mounting fiscal challenges that threaten to bankrupt our nation. For the past twenty years, earmarks have been the gateway drug to spending addiction in Washington. If Congress doesn’t begin making tough choices between competing priorities, we will collapse under our own excess. The projects listed in the Pig Book once again represent the easy choices about spending. Thanks to the work of CAGW, taxpayers and bloggers, Congress is closer to overcoming its addiction to pork,” Dr. Coburn said.
