CET6

　　’Pork-barrel’ spending
　　ECONOMICS, foreign policy, unemployment – these are hot issues that could very well influence the November 4 US elections. Another influential issue is something called “pork-barrel” spending.
　　Here’s an example of how the term was used by Barack Obama in last Friday’s New York Times:
　　Mr McCain talks about reform a lot, but his vision is pinched (贫乏的). His answer to any economic question is to eliminate pork-barrel spending — about $18 billion in a $3 trillion budget.
　　So what does “pork-barrel” mean? The term refers to the money US congressmen (议员) get from the federal government in order to fund public projects that will benefit their particular district (议员为选民所争取得到的地方建设经费).
　　The term traces its origins back to the era of slavery before the US Civil War (1861-1865), when slave owners would sometimes present a barrel of salt pork as a gift to their slaves.
　　In modern times, congressmen often see “pork-barrel” projects as “gifts” to their constituents (选民). Critics say most of the “pork” is included in spending bills passed during an election year. That allows congressmen to go before their constituents and boast about projects that help the local community， such as new roads and parks. However, some of the voting public believe “pork-barrel” projects are a symbol of wasteful government spending.
　　“Pet project”, a related term, refers to an individual project that a congressman has supported out of personal interest，often for years. It could be anything from erecting a monument to building a bridge. For example:
　　The senator’s pet projects have cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

（责任编辑：中大编辑）