Hogs at the trough II

Just in case you thought my recent blog on the sell-out of Republicans on the pork-laden, bloated Farm Bill, joining Democrats to pass it by veto-proof majorities in both houses of Congress--now the numbers are in, and the situation is even worse than I reported.

One example of the campaign cash agribusiness firms spread around to get their way, a normally conservative Rep. Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado's fourth congressional district, backed the farm bill and voted to override President Bush's veto. She was one who had not read what she voted on, joining the majority in passing a bill that had 37 pages missing, and is of dubious legality. It turns out, she had received over $300,000 in campaign contributions from agribusiness entities.

After serving three quite sensible, conservative terms in the House, generating expensive re-election campaigns against under-qualified but over-funded opponents, Musgrave has turned hard left. She has turned into one more garden variety pork barreller--falling for the philosophy "Tax and Spend--Spend and Elect."

Colorado representatives John Salazar, a gentleman farmer at best, and Mark Udall, outdid her in reaping agribusiness campaign contributions, but not in logrolling the Farm Bill.

Salazar and his brother, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, maintain the fiction of being "moderate Democrats." They are out-and-out liberals, who vote for a conservatiave no-hoper like the Flag Burning Amendment once in a while, in order to claim to be "moderates."

It is very difficult to stomach Musgrave's sellout. Udall, running for the Senate, and the Salazars, we expect such behavior and understand. But Marilyn Musgrave? Please wake me up from this bad dream.