Iraq Emergency Funding Bill Includes Pork Spending For Peanuts, Shrimp & Spinach

A new emergency Iraq spending bill reportedly includes completely unrelated spending provisions for peanut storage, shrimp fishing and spinach production. It was certainly hoped that things would be different with the new Democratic Congress, and adding unrelated pork to important legislation seems like the same old politics all over again.

Some in Congress may feel that this is the only way to get their pet legislation to benefit their district considered. But all bills should only include related issues. The merits of any benefit to the peanut, shrimp or spinach industry should have to stand on their own merits.