Pork barrel politics definition
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On the other hand, in 2010, Hartselle City in Alabama State was awarded US$250,000 for installation of a city-wide Wi-Fi network. A public outcry by the US citizens led to the abandoning of the project.ĭuring the political era of President Abraham Lincoln, he exercised a pork barrel whereby he traded Civil War contracts to the northern businessmen in exchange for their support in his campaigns as well as patronage jobs. Republic Senator Ted Stevens pushed for this bridge project which would have benefited only about 9,050 Alaskan citizens. Another example of pork barrel spending was Alaska’s Gravina Bridge project which would have cost the US federal government US$398 million. However, by the time of the completion of the project in 2006, it had cost US$14.6 billion. The original estimates for the project were US$3 billion.
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The project was championed by Tip O’Neill who sought to have the 5.6 kilometer section of the interstate highway relocated underground. The Big Dig Project in Boston, Massachusetts was an example of a pork barrel.
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These projects are funded by taxpayers’ money, but rather than benefit every citizen of the country it benefits only a particular politicians’ district. Pork barrel spending refers to the monies used to finance the pork barrel projects. Thus, pork barrel politics (also known as patronage) involves winning the votes and support of constituents and other important social groups through financially supporting a project that is important to them. They can attempt to use pork barrel projects as evidence of bringing home the bacon for their districts.Pork barrel is a derogatory term used in United States politics to refer to the act of exchanging favors to constituents or business persons for their political support such as re-election or campaign support. The use of pork barrel projects is popular among congressmen because it allows them to use the projects as a weapon to fight for re-election. Gravina Island Bridge: Also known as the ‘ Alaska Bridge to Nowhere’, costed $398 million but never got off the ground.Big Dig High Project: Moved 3.5 miles of highway underground, initially supposed to cost $3bn, but ended up lasting 20 years and costing $14.6 billon, just over $4bn per mile.Montana State University: $740,000 awarded for research into weed control through the use sheep grazing.
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In 2010 the Citizens Against Government Waste organisation, identified over 9,000 examples, and in 2006 pork projects reached a funding level of $30 billion. There are countless examples of pork barrelling being attached to legislation in the US.