Rejecting pork

(The Patriot Post) - Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund highlighted a little-known fact about the close-to 9,000 earmarks that were inserted into the $516-billion omnibus bill sent to President George Bush before Christmas. A vast majority of the earmarks are not legally binding because they were slipped into the committee report on the bill, meaning the President can ignore them altogether. Federal agencies would still be obligated to spend the appropriated funds, but the money could be used as the agencies directed instead of on the pet projects that legislators use to swing votes for re-election. Budget Director Jim Nussle is currently looking into ways to deal with the pork as part of President Bush’s newfound tough stance on spending. The President needs to hold the line if there is to be any hope of bringing fiscal responsibility to Washington.