People hate government pork or so they say. What about, however, when it is money coming to their state? The senatorial election in the State of Washington highlights this conundrum.

Everyone seems to hate members of Congress with one big exception – their own. Why? Well, the Senator in your state that brings back $10 million in government funded projects is a scallywag and perfect example of why this country is going to hell in a hand basket. The Senator in my state that I voted for that brings back $15 million in government funded projects, on the other hand, is a fine representative that is trying to morally and nobly help their constituents get through the Great Recession with a roof over their heads and food on the table. 

This represents the exact conundrum we see when it comes to government pork. It is easy to say that you are against government pork in a vacuum. When applied to real life, however, the question becomes a bit more difficult to deal with. It is a stated rule in Washington, D.C., that if a representative or Senator wants to be re-elected, they better bring home the bacon to their constituents. 

Let’s consider a real world example. Patty Murray is a Senator for the State of Washington. She has been called the Queen of Pork by one tax group because she has brought millions upon millions of dollars of government spending back to the state. As a California resident, I think this is brutal. She really doesn’t care since I don’t get to vote. Instead, Murray is not only admitting she is a porkoholic, but that she should be re-elected because of it. Her opponents are arguing that pork should not be brought back to the state. 

So, who will win? It will be interesting to see. Voters are in a foul mood. This tends to happen when the economy goes in the tank as it has. The only real impetus in the economy these days is government spending. Given this, will voters re-elect Murray to continue the pipeline of federal money into the state or go in a no-pork direction? 

Somehow, I just don’t see her losing.