Fish-Flavored Pork

In D.C., there's always room for pork. Despite a ballooning budget deficit, U.S. lawmakers larded this year's spending plan with plenty of special-interest spending. Among the fishiest items: A $1 million Wild American Shrimp Initiative and a $443,000 jackpot for research into making salmon-flavored baby food. The former drew scorn from Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), who railed for a half-hour about this year's budgetary fat. "Why does the U.S. taxpayer need to fund this 'no shrimp left behind' act?" he asked. The $388 billion package awaits the signature of President Bush, the self-professed foe of pork-barrel excesses who has yet to veto a spending bill. He's expected to sign this one, too.
-- Lewis Wallace