And no, unfortunately, I'm not talking about the good kind -- BBQ pork.

Mark Schreiner, writing in The Star News claims that pork is

Spending on projects for someone else

I disagree. Pork is any money spent by government on anything they shouldn't be doing. And yes, this is about 90% of any American government's budget. This year, the NC Legislature will be overflowing with pork since there is a "surplus" that WILL be spent -- and spent quickly.

However, Mr. Schreiner does point out what has become of statesmen and very accurately portrays the current state of politics today:

...voters reward lawmakers who can show how much government money they can bring home to the district. Plus, pork can be political. Want to win over a no vote to your side? Just slip a special piece of pork for that colleague into a bill.

Watch any campaign of ANY incumbent politician -- you will hear them tell you how much they "brought home" to the district, or the buildings they had built, or the "programs" the funded for you, their taxpayer.

A politician who was concerned with freedom instead of socialism would instead be able to tell voters how much of their money he didn't even take to begin with.

But just because everyone else does it doesn't make it right.