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Main Entry: pork Pronunciation: ‘pOrk Function: noun In American political slang, it is politics (including government money, jobs, or favors) dealing with funding at the Federal level of local projects with little or no national significance yielding rich patronage benefits. In a literal sense a “pork barrel” is a barrel in which pork is kept, but figuratively speaking it is a supply of money, often the source of one’s livelihood. |
This week’s pork, served fresh, hot, and steamy: Isn’t it great when your tax dollars are used to help fund groups for which you may have absolutely no support?
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which helped to organize a huge March 25 rally in Los Angeles, received $495,627 in government funds between July 2003 and June 2004. Tax dollars represent 32 percent of the organization’s $1.56 million budget.
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which participated in the 400,000-plus rally in Chicago and calls for “legalization for everyone,” received $1.5 million from the government in 2004. The amount represents 56 percent of the group’s total revenue.
The New York Immigration Coalition helped to coordinate “human chains” in immigrant commercial districts and calls for extending the right to vote to “lawful permanent residents.” That organization received $341,543 from government sources, 25 percent of their entire revenue of almost $1.4 million.
The Latin American Integration Center in Woodside, New York, participated in the May 1 demonstrations and the May 17 “National Lobby Day” for immigration reform. They received $233,817 from taxpayers, 71 percent of their total budget.
The Center for Community Change, which helps to fund and organize activities for illegal immigrants, also got help from taxpayers, a total of $621,935 in 2001 and 2002.
Casa of Maryland, which actively opposes House immigration bill H.R. 4437 and runs day-laborer centers for illegal aliens, received more than $1 million in government funds, constituting 53 percent of its revenue.
The National Council of La Raza, one of the largest organizations engaged in current immigration reform issues, received $4.2 million from taxpayers.
The Farmworker Justice Fund, a subsidiary of La Raza, received $692,665 in government funding almost 60 percent of its total revenue.
Now see – aren’t you glad you pay taxes? Don’t you wish you could pay more?
