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Unit 1 Pork Barrel Projects
Listening Comprehension
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.
-7-
Listening Comprehension
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.
-7-
