There are pigs, and there are PIGS

If you really want to get a headache there is a website called the Citizens Against Government Waste that is a watchdog organization that researches government pork. Their website states their mission, in part, as:

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) is a private, non-partisan, non-profit organization representing more than one million members and supporters nationwide. CAGW's mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in the federal government. Founded in 1984 by the late industrialist J. Peter Grace and syndicated columnist Jack Anderson, CAGW is the legacy of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, also known as the Grace Commission.

If nothing else go download the 2008 PigBook...you will be amazed at the amount of money wasted by the feds.

The following is taken from the PigBook just to give you an idea of what they do.

CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE PRESENTS
PIG BOOK
“OINKERS” OF 2008

Recognizing Dogged Perseverance
in the Mad Pursuit of Pork
The French Kiss Off Award
to Representative Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) for $211,509 in olive fruit fly
research in Paris, France.

The Taxpayers Get Teed Off Award
to House MajorityWhip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) for $3 million for
The First Tee in the defense appropriations bill.

The Cold Hard Cash Award
to Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) for $165.7 million in defense pork.

The Tax Dollars on Drugs Award
to Representative John Murtha (D-Pa.) for $23 million for the
National Drug Intelligence Center.

The Pantheon of Pork Award
to Senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) for $386 million in pork.

The Narcissist Award
to Representative Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) for $1,950,000 for the
Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service.
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The Pig in Sheep’s Clothing Award
to Montana Senators Max Baucus (D) and Jon Tester (D) for $148,950
for the Montana Sheep Institute.

The Unidentified Fiscal Object Award
to Representative Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) for $1.6 million for the
Allen Telescope Array.

The Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees Award
to Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) for $344,540
for the city of Chicago GreenStreets Tree Planting Program.

The Porky and Bess Award
for $7.9 million for 36 theaters in 21 states.

The Pacific Fleeced Award
to Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) for $173.2 million in defense pork.

The Taxpayers Get Steamed Award
to Maine Senators Susan Collins (R) and Olympia Snowe (R), and
Rep. Thomas Allen (D-Maine) for $188,000 for the Lobster Institute.

This Pork Was Made for Walking Award
to Representative Virgil Goode (R-Va.) for $98,000 to develop a
walking tour of Boydton, Virginia.

The Return to Sender Award
to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for $196,000 for the renovation
and transformation of the historic downtown Post Office in Las Vegas.


The PIGBOOK is about 59 pages and will get you steamed!


http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=reports_pigbook2005