13 Jun 2009 Outrage of the Day: Pork in the Health Care Bill

A liberal crusade for decades has been the transfer of the U.S. health care system to government hands.

So when the liberals are about to make their most serious run at their cherished prize in 16 years, you’d think they’d leave the pork out of their bill, wouldn’t you? Because pork in the bill is a turnoff for many voters, regardless of their position on government-run health care.

I thought so. I was wrong.

According to Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), who is Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the bill released by the Democrats of said committee last week has plenty of work.

According to Enzi, the bill includes:

• A “Community Makeover Program” to spend billions to “beautify” streets, up to $10 per person in selected communities;

• A federal government program to build new sidewalks and bike paths, and put up street lights;

• Financing of new grocery stores and farmers’ markets;

• Mandate that a new Washington health police bureaucracy dictate what local restaurants can offer their customers; and,

• Subsidizing community projects such as jungle gyms in parks.

The big-spenders are so addicted to pork, they can’t keep it out of anything.

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Labels: Congress, Government Health Care, Government Spending, Health Care, Outrage, Retirement