This just in from Winslow Wheeler at the Center for Defense Information. The new emergency supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 1591) for the war, which was just put online today, contains some fishy line items including $25 million for spinach producers (p. 291), $60 million for salmon fisheries (p. 216), and $5 million for aquaculture (p. 214). House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey and Speaker Pelosi added $21.3 billion to the cost of the bill.

Wheeler stated, "Having worked the congressional pork system for most of the 31 years I was on Capitol Hill, they sure smell, wallow, and oink like earmarks to me. The advocates will argue these are all desperately needed due to various crises. Perhaps, but that doesn't mean they are not earmarks. In fact, they are 'emergency earmarks' as they have the 'emergency' designation."

Wheeler also points out that p. 238 of the House committee report contains the following statement: "EARMARKS: Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9(d), 9(e), or 9(f) of rule XXI."

With shenanigans like these, is it any wonder that the American public does not trust its politicians?

-- Beth Daley