Pile on the Pork

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we in a recession?? An economic slowdown?? A financial funk?!!!

With that in mind, and the current debacle that has swallowed up jobs and retirement funds around the nation, why in the world would our elected representatives do something like this:

Congress is sending President Barack Obama a massive bill funding domestic programs and awarding lawmakers their cherished pet projects after more than a week of partisan debate.
Senators passed the measure by voice vote after voting 62-35 to shut down debate. The White House says Obama will sign the bill. It finishes up last year's budget business, which stalled as Democrats feuded with former President George W. Bush. The huge bill encountered unexpected difficulty in the wake of Obama's economic stimulus bill and a budget plan forecasting a $1.8 trillion deficit for the current budget year.

I know that I'm not privy to a lot of the wheeling and dealings in Washington, but how do you justify more than 400 million dollars in pork spending when Nancy Pelosi is talking about a 2nd stimulus package, while the first one is still being passed out?!

Please, help me understand!!

The AP update is somewhat humorous in recounting the huge bill encountered "unexpected difficulty". Really?!! From who, the Republicans?!

Does it really matter...

The GOP has no leverage to do anything in Washington, but sit on the sidelines and watch as the Democratic Party leads the bailout recovery. Even the symbolic vote has already lost it's luster.

I'm just stunned that with the economy still teetering on the brink of collapse, ANYONE in Washington can still think about pet projects and pork.

I'm not naive enough to believe that the financial mess was somehow going to lead to a pork-free diet for lawmakers, but I can dream!!