(many do), but there was this old “sniff test” propounded by P. J. O’Rourke years ago (probably in Parliament of Whores) that was aimed at determining the actual worth of federal spending. Basically it was “does it pass the gun-to-grandma’s head test?”
Gannett Star, p.1, November 19, 2007: “State gets $20M to expand trails“.
Um. Sorry, that doesn’t pass the gun-to-grandma’s head test. Here’s the thing: If we were asked to contribute out of our pockets to build the Monon Greenway, or any other greenway, for that matter — would we actually do it, or would we say, “sorry, gave at the office”? So instead, the government — which we are supposed to have a voice in — has decided in its infinite wisdom that not only should we actually do it, we’re going to do it whether we like it or not.
Bang. Sorry, grandma. Greenways should be paid for by the people who use them. Otherwise, we’ve got lots of public parks and forests…and interestingly enough, the better ones charge nominal fees to help with their upkeep. Why not toll greenways?
On the other hand:
Gannett Star, p.1, November 20, 2007: “$60M to help IU fight AIDS/HIV“.
In this case, I’d be inclined to save grandma. I have nothing against spending money to fight dread diseases, even if they are diseases that can be sharply limited by behavior as much as by drugs or therapy. And while we’re at it, let’s spend a few million to use DDT to fight the mosquito problems in Africa, too.
So I’m not a complete curmudgeon, but I’m damned sick and tired of congresscritters taking money meant for maintaining our highway infrastructure and earmarking it for lefty tree-hugging “green” projects. The critters who voted for this earmark ought to be diselected for gross malfeasance in office. Or better, they should be bused out onto an “iffy” highway bridge and left there till it collapses.
A "surly curmudgeon[], suspicious and lacking in altruism." (Robert A. Heinlein)