Wednesday, May 1, 2002
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Wednesday, May 1, 2002 |
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Rep. Collins puts PTC right there at the federal trough I am deeply disappointed that Congressman Mac Collins has succumbed, again, to the "pork barrel" syndrome in the form of $1 million in U.S. taxpayer money for the purpose of improvements to Falcon Field. Enhancing Falcon Field is probably a worthwhile project for Peachtree City and Fayette County. The project is not the problem; it is the funding. Since this is a local project, why should it not be financed with local money? Aren't there enough local people willing to invest in a bond drive for this purpose? Last year Rep. Collins "brought home the bacon" in the form of about $300,000 in U.S. taxpayer funds for a new fire station. At least this could be justified as added security for our citizens, even though common fires are not an international menace affecting all Americans. Regardless, there is no constitutional justification for such an expenditure of U.S. taxpayer money it does not protect us from overseas threats, or pay for the infrastructure of the U.S. government. It is therefore not authorized by the U.S. Constitution. This is particularly discouraging in a period of national emergency requiring the expenditure of large sums for homeland security and overseas military forces, both sorely neglected the past eight years. This breech of faith may not reach the magnitude of the $50,000 grant in California for tattoo removal, or a new West Virginia federal building dedicated to Senator Byrd, but it is most irritating when sponsored by an otherwise conservative U.S. representative that I have, until now, proudly supported. The basic problem is that the federal budget is already out of control with one of the causes being pork barrel spending. We are currently looking at the possibility of a $100 billion deficit. This is caused by, among other things, a farm bill with a 70 percent boost in subsidies, of which $360,000 in payments can be awarded to individuals or corporations. This means that Ted Turner will probably get $360,000 of your tax money next year under this provision. (He also makes a huge profit in government subsidies from the buffalo you get served at Ted's Montana Grill which is a good reason to order a pizza and stay home.) Democrat strategists have revealed that their plan is to vote for increased spending across the board, thus forcing the budget into deficits that they will then blame on Bush. The "Bush deficit" will be a rallying cry for them in the next election, and they will then increase the pressure to cancel future tax cuts, and begin lobbying for tax increases. Why would a Republican want to contribute to those looming deficits through pork barrel spending? The bottom line is that I am ashamed to inform my family members in other states that my local representative has deemed it necessary that they help pay for improvements to Falcon Field. I hope that their U.S. representative will not take advantage of the federal trough to ladle out my tax dollars for similar local and unconstitutional expenditures in their locations. Just think of the consequences an out of control federal budget, and continually higher taxes to pay for ever more outlandish projects to serve smaller and smaller numbers of people. (Tattoo removal anyone?) Please write Rep. Mac Collins at the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington D.C. 20515, or call his office at 202-225-3121, and let him know that you expect him to work for lower taxes and a smaller, less intrusive federal government, not look for local projects to add to Congress' already substantial pork barrel. We sent a conservative Republican to Congress. If we wanted a free-spending liberal (New) Democrat to "bring home the bacon," and increase our federal taxes every year, we would have voted for one. William Fielder Peachtree City
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