Franken-Pork

"These projects in our districts are not pork!" exclaimed the State Senate's own Franken-senator; Edward Meyer (D) of Branford, a lanky over-sized goof of a man who looks like he was assembled from the parts of less dorky Senators. His neck bolts may have glowed with the passion of his speech, but his claim hardly rang true.

Both chambers of the legislature took up the massive $3.1 billion bonding package yesterday, and Republicans voted unanimously against the massive borrowing package. Governor Rell will now get the bill, and I am hopeful she vetoes it.

There are important items in this package as I have mentioned before, like critical school construction funds. However, a lot of this bill is a blank check that squeals like a pig.

For example, there's $1 billion in unspecified bonding for the Connecticut State University System. There is no indication of what this money is to be spent on, and no one gets to speak at a public hearing about it. However, the Democrats want to put the state credit card on a ten-year payment plan for it.

Republicans have finally said enough is enough when it comes to state spending. The Democrats included a number of enticing projects in Republican districts in an attempt to pull away some Republican votes, but they held firm. At long last Republicans in the General Assembly are unifying behind the principle that restraint on spending, and fiscal conservatism are more important than bringing home bonding for a pump station or a swing set in a park.

Men like Senator Meyer don't care about the debt he creates for us, our children and grandchildren. He buys now. You pay later.