Thursday, August 12, 2004

More research so as to find the national group and a fit

A suggestion came to me in a phone call just today:
Perhaps we'd (or I) do well to look for a NATIONAL GROUP that takes on PORK-Spending causes. The overspending issue inserted with a national group's framework would give better chance to make media mentions elsewhere. I think it is a good idea. But, who should be engaged and with a good fit?
Ideas welcomed.

Possible leads:
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), Thomas A. Schatz, president
http://www.cagw.org/

Taxpayers for Common Sense, a liberal watchdog group
http://www.taxpayer.net/

National Taxpayers Union, a conservative watchdog group
http://www.ntu.org/

"There used to be shame with pork," said Brian M. Riedl, who studies the federal budget for the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation. "[Members of Congress] didn't want to abuse their right to override agencies and governors and mayors when it came to deciding how the money was spent." Since 1998, the number of congressional pork projects has increased fivefold.

"Members of Congress have gotten much better at selling pork as the good white meat," said Ross K. Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers. Voters, he said, have come to see bacon-winning ability as a "measure of effectiveness."

Philly.com quote:
"I don't want to leave the whole appropriations process up to bureaucrats in Washington. A lot of times they don't have a clue," said Rep. Joseph Hoeffel (D., Pa.). "At least a member of Congress knows what projects need doing in his district, if he's doing his job right."

Richard Kogan, an analyst for the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Unlike anti-pork crusaders, Kogan sees nothing "inherently wrong in having our democratically elected representatives" decide specifically where money will be spent.

What others might be able to help???

1 comment:

Mark Rauterkus said...

Tim posted: I reput:
NTU, Heritage, CAGW, and don't forget Cato. I also found Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE.org; now joined with Empower America to form Freedom Work http://www.cse.org/informed on the web. But they'd probably only get involved if there were an active group here, however small. They might also be able to provide some links with any other, similar local-type groups, which could be useful for info on what works and what doesn't. I even found a webpage that offers reasons why pork barrel spending persists
http://www.yourcongress.com/ViewArticle.asp?article_id=168
(which anyone fighting it should be familiar with). The last one listed is one I never would have thought of. (It still sounds like simple enjoyment of stolen goods.)