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Unit 1 Pork Barrel Projects
Reading Comprehension
Pork Barrel Project
The town of Ketchikan in northern Alaska (population 8,000) was
supposed to get a new bridge. But there were two problems. At $315 million,
the bridge was much too big and expensive. And it wasn‟t needed anyway!
How did this plan happen? Blame pork. “Pork barrel projects” – often called
just “pork” – are building projects which benefit only a few people but are
paid for with public tax money. This means that all citizens pay for the
projects, whether they benefit from the work or not. Here‟s how it works.
First, pork barrel projects need the support of powerful politicians. These
politicians support pork barrel projects because in return, the citizens who
benefit usually vote for the politicians in the next election. Next, the
politicians have to secure money in the government‟s budget to pay for the
project. This is often done at the last minute, so that people who disagree
with the project do not have enough time to try to stop it. Once the
government has approved the budget, then the pork barrel project is safely
on its way. In the case of the Ketchikan bridge, the politicians were Alaska‟s
congressmen. They backed the expensive bridge even though it would have
served only 8,000 people and linked tiny Ketchikan with even smaller Gravina
Island (population only 50). The bridge was never built. This time, the “pork
barrel” got sealed! But many pork barrel projects go through. Then, everyone
pays!
Pork barrel projects are not unique to American politics. You can find them
in almost any society with a democratic government (one in which politicians
must be elected). Japan is famous for pork barrel projects, most notably its
bullet trains. Originally, Japan‟s bullet trains only linked its major cities. Now,
however, bullet trains are being built to remote locations in the countryside
with relatively small populations, at great expense to Japanese taxpayers.
While this practice is more widespread in America and in Japan than in some
other countries, if you look closely, you can probably find pork in you
government too.
-4-
Reading Comprehension
Pork Barrel Project
The town of Ketchikan in northern Alaska (population 8,000) was
supposed to get a new bridge. But there were two problems. At $315 million,
the bridge was much too big and expensive. And it wasn‟t needed anyway!
How did this plan happen? Blame pork. “Pork barrel projects” – often called
just “pork” – are building projects which benefit only a few people but are
paid for with public tax money. This means that all citizens pay for the
projects, whether they benefit from the work or not. Here‟s how it works.
First, pork barrel projects need the support of powerful politicians. These
politicians support pork barrel projects because in return, the citizens who
benefit usually vote for the politicians in the next election. Next, the
politicians have to secure money in the government‟s budget to pay for the
project. This is often done at the last minute, so that people who disagree
with the project do not have enough time to try to stop it. Once the
government has approved the budget, then the pork barrel project is safely
on its way. In the case of the Ketchikan bridge, the politicians were Alaska‟s
congressmen. They backed the expensive bridge even though it would have
served only 8,000 people and linked tiny Ketchikan with even smaller Gravina
Island (population only 50). The bridge was never built. This time, the “pork
barrel” got sealed! But many pork barrel projects go through. Then, everyone
pays!
Pork barrel projects are not unique to American politics. You can find them
in almost any society with a democratic government (one in which politicians
must be elected). Japan is famous for pork barrel projects, most notably its
bullet trains. Originally, Japan‟s bullet trains only linked its major cities. Now,
however, bullet trains are being built to remote locations in the countryside
with relatively small populations, at great expense to Japanese taxpayers.
While this practice is more widespread in America and in Japan than in some
other countries, if you look closely, you can probably find pork in you
government too.
-4-
