Why can't we stop politicians from the pork?

Question

Make them vote on one law or bill at a time , no more attaching sneakey things so they can get elected again.

Answer 1

Pork is a result of Omnibus bills (bills that contain funding for lots of unrelated items). Congress likes omnibus bills because they can include items that would not ever pass on their own merit.

One poster wanted the line item veto. That is not the right decision. We don't want to shift the power of spending to the executive branch, we want the legislative branch to be forced to spend responsibly.

George Stanwich (above) is right on with his comments also

Answer 2

Well that would make things massively slower. The House gets things done faster, but the Senate is designed to be a slower moving body so that all debate and all points of views can be considered before sending a bill to the president.

It's common practice in government to attach "pork". A Republican congress in 1995 issued a highway bill that was filled with over 100 other attachments. Almost every senator had something in there. Both parties do it, so it has become a way to get a lot of things done at once. We really don't want them to move slower than they already do.

Answer 3

Because we do not have TERM LIMITS and therefore they use the pork to get you and others to re-elect them.

Think about this, 84% of Americans think congress stinks, wants them out, but yet that same group of people, 48% say their congress people are okay. Does not add it up, they have been bought by pork, or yours and my tax dollars.

Voting has failed. Congress has in the past six years opened discussions on term limits a few times, all were shut down by the democrats, all were proposed by republicans. That in and of itself is very telling.

Until we have some of the old ones gone we stand no chance of getting term limits.

We can vote them out but that means that you and I are going to have to vote for someone from a different party. I can do it, and have been for the last four elections, can you.

We can force a constitutional convention on congress, which I believe they will refuse outright, which of course will enevitably lead to the third option, violent revolution.

As it stands today I am going to keep voting for the new guy, the one that is new in politics, not a multi-term incumbent.

If you and a few million others will help me we can fix this without a lot of trouble.

Answer 4

Because the majority of the people don't understand the Constitution or the principles this nation was founded upon. They do not understand the exacting limitations on the government that are in the Constitution, and they don't seem to care at all.

Pork is not only an unethical and corrupt practice, it defies the principles of the Constitution, and is a gross violation of proper Constitutional spending. It's not theirs to give. Any of the peoples' monies not used for legitimate Constitutional duties of the government is corruption, pure and simple.

But now that the plebes have found they can vote themselves "bread & circuses", they think it a good thing, and have no ability to appreciate how much damage it does.

Answer 5

This is probably in regards to the war funding bill. it isn't about getting re-elected it's about getting enough votes to get the bill passed. It's about house and senate members prostituting their vote for material gain. It's been going on from before any of us were born and it will continue long after we're gone.

Answer 6

Here is what needs to happen:

1) Term limits on Congress.
2) Line item veto for the President.
3) Abolish the current tax system and replace it with a flat
tax or consumption tax.
4) Enact a Constitutional amendment that would put limits
on taxation and the growth of government.

Answer 7

Since the biggest "pork" culprit are those politicians who attach amendments to bills that literally NOTHING to do with the bill itself, the way to put a curb on "pork" is to remove the power of politicians to do this. Force them to justify the relationship between their amendments and the base bill.

Answer 8

Um, how about you just not elect them again?

The reason politicians give us pork is because we like it.

Answer 9

Simple. They provide a benefit to you. Then, you retain them in office so that you will continue to get that benefit, and more.
Would you vote for someone if there was no benefit to you?

Answer 10

because Congress controls the spending of the entire federal government. and you can't do anything about that unless we throw out the Constitution and start over