Events in Pork World

If I have this correct, Nancy Pelosi manages to implement earmark reform rules in the House as part of her enlightened attempt to uncorrupt Congress by limiting pork spending projects. A Republican Senator seeing an opportunity adds Pelosi’s House language as an amendment to a Senate Bill, causing the Democratic Senate Leadership into a frantic attempt to table (kill) the amendment.

High Political Drama in the Senate: Let's be clear about the rich irony here. Senate Leadership tried to kill a bill that House Leadership supported and passed. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin are basically saying that they want their pork no matter what, even if it embarrasses their own party.

The votes are tallied and lo and behold the Democratic Senate leadership fails to strip out the House Democratic reforms. Pork is in grave danger so the rest of day is series of procedural maneuvers to save the pig trough. All and all a classic example of the futility of the legislative process to heal itself. Every true Democrat should understand the way to achieve change is through the courts. Following European precedent is also good.

France Prohibits Soup: The French Conseil d’Etat, the highest administrative court in France, forbids private charities from distributing pork soup to the homeless. On Friday night the high court ruled that offering soup containing pork meat or lard is an act of racism because some of the homeless might be Muslims or Jews whose religion forbids the consuming of pork. The court said distributing pork soup threatens public order because it could spark angry reactions.

Claiming no one is forced to eat private charity soup, the unenlightened loosing party plans an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, which may also be the last venue of hope for earmark reform in our Congress.