Demand Congress sacrifice pork for Katrina aid

Everyone knows the recent Transportation bill is full of pork. Nobody seems to even try to deny it.

Citizens Against Government Waste, a watchdog group, estimates that the transportation bill funded $24 billion of special projects, which means over 8 percent of that budget went to pork.

In light of the devastation that Katrina has brought upon New Orleans and the surrounding cities, it only seems appropriate for the other states of the union to assign their 'pork' money to help with the rebuilding effort.

A big target should be Alaska. The pork here is blatant. I'm sure those 50 people on Gravina Island are nice folks, but I'm sure even they would agree that $250 million could be better spent.

Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, brought home lots of bacon -- nearly $1 billion. Here are some projects that got funding:

 $250 million earmarked for a bridge in Anchorage to be named Don Young's Way.

Another $250 million for a bridge to connect the town of Ketchikan (pop. 14,000) to Gravina Island (pop. 50).
 Congress also tossed in $3 million to pay for a documentary film about Alaska. The subject is how Alaska is spending money on its highways.

I'm not sure if fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice really mean anything anymore to the people in power. But I guess this is one way to find out. It's time to put our congressmen on the spot. It's time to ask them directly what they plan on sacrificing to help those in need.