Word: pet
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...projects that, like the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center, were tacked on by legislators to curry favor with their constituents. While no one can come to a clear consensus on whether a certain issue qualifies as so-called pork barrel spending, estimates of the total set aside for these pet projects range from $11 billion to $16 billion. Other questionable giveaways in the bill include $250,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, $500,000 to renovate ski trails in Alaska, $4.9 million to refurbish historic bathhouses in Arizona, and $75,000 to the Paper Industry International Hall...
These projects might seem harmless enough. (After all, who doesn’t love historic bathhouses and weather folklore?) But what Peterson and his fellow champions of pet projects presumably won’t be including in their glossy re-election campaign brochures is that Congress also approved an adjustment to the chronically under-funded Pell Grant program, the principal means by which American students receive need-based government grants to attend college. Eligibility for the awards is determined in part by an examination of state tax information, but lawmakers chose to use tax tables that were out of date...
...victory in the legislative election would give Chen a new mandate to push through two pet initiatives: buying an $18 billion arms package from the U.S., and holding an island-wide referendum on changing the constitution, which was promulgated on the mainland in 1947, to make it more relevant to today's Taiwan. (China considers both moves hostile.) At the same time, Chen has in recent weeks repeatedly pledged that he won't declare independence or have it written into a new constitution. That's not just campaign rhetoric. Though it is Taipei's main backer, Washington is currently enjoying...
...running surplus a la Bill Clinton. But now that the country is facing a huge and dangerous budget deficit, Congress still passed an omnibus spending bill filled to the brim with gratuitous appropriations. In the wake of another bumper crop of cash for the unnecessary to the absurd in pet Congressional districts, some belt-tightening has to happen somewhere. Congress’ latest bright idea? Cut Pell Grants to poor college kids to make up some of the difference...
...Pet Lover...