Political Points

• What mindset must Congressional members have to approve billions in spending on pork projects (a/k/a earmarks, to be known on this blog as "pork rinds")?  It's like they all say "no pork" until it comes to their own pork rinds, and then it's a different story. Nearly 8,000 pork rinds in the spending bill, totaling about $5.5 billion.  I heard a commentator say at least it is only 1-2% of the spending package, and it only covers the period ending September 30, 2009.  Uh-huh, but it's still $5.5 billion of our money.  Even if we wipe out the pork rinds beginning October 1, 2010, that's still $5.5 billion that could have been used for other things.  Or maybe that's just "extra" -- there's nothing broken in the country that requires funding.
• Al Franken has basically won Minnesota by 200 or so votes, subject to all the litigation Coleman is engaging in to settle it once and for all.  Sort of.  Coleman won't win this round, but he's got a few appeals left in his quiver.  It's been 4 months.  At some point, shouldn't he just lay down the sword?  Minnesota is half-represented in Congress right now.  I can't wait until Franken is seated, if only because the former comedian is bound to say something funny about the delay.