So What's a Pork Barrel Anyway?

I think most people have heard the term, "pork barrel spending". In fact, I just asked my thirteen daughter if she had heard the term and she answered, " Yeah, on Bulls and Bears". I didn't know she watched that show. Hm... I then asked her if it's a good or bad thing. She said, "Bad...because they (they being politicians) waste money". Dang. My girl is pretty astute when it comes to politics. Makes me proud. Then I asked her if she knew what a pork barrel was and she replied, "A what?". OK, I might have mumbled the question in order to elicit the answer I wanted. Still, I will now endeavor to enlighten her and whoever else might happen to run across this spewing of useless verbiage as to what a pork barrel is and then further ramble on about pork barrel spending.

Here's a bit of etymology for the phrase "pork barrel". Before refrigeration pork was preserved in wooden barrels of brine. (Now that sounds yummy, doesn't it?) There, you have your pork barrel.

Now for the etymology of"pork barrel spending". It was first used as a political metaphor in the early 1900's and it seems to refer to the distribution of salt pork to slaves on plantations. The slaves would rush the barrels in order to get as much as they could. Early journalists and political critics used this image to describe politicians rushing to put in as many appropriation items for their districts as they could in omnibus spending bills.

Now, I know it seems racist to compare slaves trying to acquire sustenance to the wasteful spending of America's tax dollars, but let's face it, America was racist at the beginning of the 20th century. We still see the scars of racism today and they still often bleed, so I'm a little surprised to find the term still used in political discourse today. Not because I think it should be taken as an offense, but because politicians are usually so careful to be politically correct. Politicians are quick to harangue others over an offensive racial comment (and rightfully so), but have no qualm with enslaving minorities to whatever social program they implement with the funds they get through pork barrel appropriation. Seems kind of ironic.

Racist connotations aside, it is still interesting to find out what a pork barrel is. There are many phrases we just take for granted and with a fuller understanding of their origin we acquire a fuller understanding of their meaning. I'm still impressed that my baby girl knew what pork barrel spending was all about. Hm, I think I'll now ask her if she's heard of an earmark. (She has!)