The Men Guarding the Pork Barrels

The Washington Post profiles the men who herd Washington's pork home.

Sen Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Rep Jerry Lewis (R-CA) are chairmen of their respective chambers' Appropriations Committees -- the panels that pack pet projects into spending bills.

The article describes how they've seen too it that Mississippi cotton subsidies and California defense contractors get plenty of tax money.

But they are both under pressure to get budget bills out of committee and passed this year. Congress has been slow to do that for years now. And with approval ratings for Congress at record low levels -- not to mention an election year next year -- they've got new incentive to get their job done. (WashPost)