Pork: The Trilogy

I'll close my recent pork-fest with a sad reminder about the roots of this expression. Nowadays, many often assume that "pork" is used in this context to denote the greediness of politicians (greedy pigs) or because of the bloated fiscal "fat" associated with such projects or perhaps it has something to do with "bringing home the bacon."



Yet, as Diana Evans explains in her book Greasing the Wheels: Using Pork Barrel Projects to Build Majority Coalitions in Congress (Cambridge, 2004), the roots of this phrase actually go back to an abuse of power associated with slavery.


"The pork barrel is a popular metaphor for projects and favors for legislators’ districts. Although the origin of the term is somewhat murky, it probably derives from the pre-Civil War South, when on holidays slave owners set our barrels of salt pork for their slaves, who were frequently undernourished. The resulting frantic rush for the barrel inspired the unflattering popular image of much better-fed politicians grabbing benefits for their constituents with the fervor of starving slaves scrambling for food. The term was used in Congress as early as the 1870s to describe legislation containing projects for members’ districts." (pp. 2-3)



Evans actually takes a sympathetic view towards this type of politics---her thesis being that it is a tool for getting bigger, better things done. One could say the same of lobbying or straight bribery I suppose, but the point here is not to quibble with this author.

The late Alistair Cooke of the BBC (and, yes, Masterpiece Theatre) struck a more sympathetic tone towards the slave owners' "benevolent practice" and shook his head more vigorously against the modern practitioners.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/3354949.stm

My perspective: it would be preferable to utilize a term with no ties to one of our greatest national tragedies. Still, to some lesser extent, the association fits. Politicians have become virtual slaves to this broken system. Let's hope that this recent round of reform sticks so that the term "pork barrel," with its multiple negative connotations, can indeed be retired once and for all.