Pork Police

The Bush administration is taking members of Congress at their word when they say they want to break the pork-barrel spending habit. The Washington Times reports today that Office of Management and Budget Director Rob Portman has told agencies to feel free to ignore requests for earmarked spending that are not written into law, but requested separately by members of Congress. Agencies have traditionally honored such requests for fear that if they didn't, their budgets would be cut the next year. And I've got to believe that some of them will continue to pay attention to lawmakers' wishes, despite what OMB says. Just don't expect them to admit it publicly.