The Pork Advisory Level jumped to High as Congress tries to push through a $388 billion omnibus package that will fund most federal agencies through the fiscal year 2004.  11 of 13 appropriations bills are almost two months overdue and an omnibus package gives members of Congress ample cover for thousands of pork barrel projects for special interests back home. 

Today President Bush signed into law an $800 billion increase in the nation’s debt ceiling.  Taxpayers are left to speculate on the purpose of a debt “ceiling” that can be arbitrarily raised to accomadate the pork-hungry ways of a spendthrift Congress.  It is the equivalent of a gambling addict who can magically extend his credit limit into perpuity. 

When members of Congress brag about “moving quickly” on the omnibus, it means throwing fiscal caution to the wind and tacking on every last boon to special interests  energy bill to a measure authorizing billions of dollars worth of water infrastructure projects. Taxpayer groups protested the $16 billion Water Resources Development Act

Congress is adept at using $300 million emergency fund for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which the White House might take issue with. In a letter to omnibus conferees, Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten said such emergency designations, designed to evade budget caps, were unacceptable.