The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (September 2010)

Pork barrel is the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district. The usage originated in American English.^[1] In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents. Scholars, however, use it as a technical term regarding legislative control of local appropriations.^[2]

History[link]

The term pork barrel politics usually refers to spending which is intended to benefit constituents of a politician in return for their political support, either in the form of campaign contributions or votes. In the popular 1863 story "The Children of the Public", Edward Everett Hale used the term pork barrel as a homely metaphor for any form of public spending to the citizenry.^[3] After the American Civil War, however, the term came to be used in a derogatory sense. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the modern sense of the term from 1873.^[4] By the 1870s, references to "pork" were common in Congress, and the term was further popularized by a 1919 article by Chester Collins Maxey in the National Municipal Review, which reported on certain legislative acts known to members of Congress as "pork barrel bills". He claimed that the phrase originated in a pre-Civil War practice of giving slaves a barrel of salt pork as a reward and requiring them to compete among themselves to get their share of the handout.^[5] More generally, a barrel of salt pork was a common larder item in 19th century households, and could be used as a measure of the family's financial well-being. For example, in his 1845 novel The Chainbearer, James Fenimore Cooper wrote, "I hold a family to be in a desperate way, when the mother can see the bottom of the pork barrel."^[6]

Definition[link]

Typically, "pork" involves funding for government programs whose economic or service benefits are concentrated in a particular area but whose costs are spread among all taxpayers. Public works projects, certain national defense spending projects, and agricultural subsidies are the most commonly cited examples.

Citizens Against Government Waste^[7] outlines seven criteria by which spending can be classified as "pork":

1. Requested by only one chamber of Congress;
2. Not specifically authorized;
3. Not competitively awarded;
4. Not requested by the President;
5. Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding;
6. Not the subject of congressional hearings; or
7. Serves only a local or special interest.

Examples[link]

One of the earliest examples of pork barrel politics in the United States was the Bonus Bill of 1817, which was introduced by John C. Calhoun to construct highways linking the Eastern and Southern United States to its Western frontier using the earnings bonus from the Second Bank of the United States. Calhoun argued for it using general welfare and post roads clauses of the United States Constitution. Although he approved of the economic development goal, President James Madison vetoed the bill as unconstitutional.

1873 Defiance (Ohio) Democrat 13 Sept. 1/8: "Recollecting their many previous visits to the public pork-barrel,... this hue-and-cry over the salary grab... puzzles quite as much as it alarms them."
1896 Overland Monthly Sept. 370/2: "Another illustration represents Mr. Ford in the act of hooking out a chunk of River and Harbor Pork out of a Congressional Pork Barrel valued at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

One of the most famous alleged pork-barrel projects was the Big Dig in Boston, Massachusetts. The Big Dig was a project to take an existing 3.5-mile (5.6 km) interstate highway and relocate it underground. It ended up costing US$14.6 billion, or over US$4 billion per mile.^[8] Tip O'Neill (D-Mass), after whom one of the Big Dig tunnels was named, pushed to have the Big Dig funded by the federal government while he was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ^[9]

During the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, the Gravina Island Bridge (also known as the "Bridge to Nowhere") in Alaska was cited as an example of pork barrel spending. The bridge, pushed for by Republican Senator Ted Stevens, was projected to cost $398 million and would connect the island's 50 residents and the Ketchikan International Airport to Revillagigedo Island and Ketchikan.^[10]

Pork-barrel projects, or earmarks, are added to the federal budget by members of the appropriation committees of United States Congress. This allows delivery of federal funds to the local district or state of the appropriation committee member, often accommodating major campaign contributors. To a certain extent, a member of Congress is judged by their ability to deliver funds to their constituents. The Chairman and the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations are in a position to deliver significant benefits to their states.

Use of the term outside the United States[link]

In other countries, the practice is often called patronage, but this word does not always imply corrupt or undesirable conduct.

Philippines[link]

In the Philippines, the term is commonly used in politics. Filipino legislators are allocated large sums of the annual national budget (200 million pesos for each senator and 70 million for each representative) in a program called the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Politicians are often accused of misusing their allocations for selfish purposes, particularly through "kickbacks" and commissions from their projects.^[11]

Scandinavia[link]

Similar expressions, meaning "election pork", are used in Danish (valgflæsk), Swedish (valfläsk) and Norwegian (valgflesk), where they mean promises made before an election, often by a politician who has little intention of fulfilling them.^[12] The Finnish political jargon uses siltarumpupolitiikka (culvert politics) in reference to national politicians concentrating on small local matters, such as construction of culverts and other public works at politician's home municipality.

Central and Eastern Europe[link]

Romanians speak of pomeni electorale (literally, "electoral alms"), while the Polish kiełbasa wyborcza means literally "election sausage". The Czech předvolební guláš (pre-election goulash) has similar meaning, referring to free dishes of goulash served to potential voters during election campaign meetings targeted at lower social classes; metaphorically, it stands for any populistic political decisions that are taken before the elections with the aim of obtaining more votes. The process of diverting budget funds in favor of a project in a particular constituency is called porcování medvěda ("portioning of the bear") in Czech usage.^[13]

United Kingdom[link]

The term is rarely used in British English, although similar terms exist: election sweetener, tax sweetener, or just sweetener.^[14]

Australia[link]

Pork barrel is frequently used in Australian politics,^[15][16] where marginal seats are often accused of receiving more funding than safe seats or, in the case of the 2010 election in negotiations with key independents.

See also[link]

	United States portal
	Politics portal

• Advocacy group
• Client politics
• Earmark (politics)
• Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006
• Golden Fleece Award
• Lobbying
• Money loop
• Porkbusters

References[link]

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011)

Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
22nd President pro tempore of the Philippine Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office July 23, 2007
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Benigno Aquino III
Preceded by	Juan Flavier
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2004
Mayor of San Juan, Metro Manila
In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001
Preceded by	Adolfo Sto. Domingo
Succeeded by	Joseph Victor Ejercito
Vice Mayor of San Juan, Metro Manila
In office June 30, 1988 – June 30, 1992
Personal details
Born	(1963-02-17) February 17, 1963 (age 49) Manila, Philippines
Political party	Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino
Spouse(s)	Ma. Presentacion Vitug
Relations	Joseph Estrada (father)
Residence	San Juan City, Metro Manila
Occupation	Actor, Producer, Politician
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Jose Pimentel Ejercito, Jr. (born February 17, 1963^[1]), better known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, is a Filipino politician and former film actor who has been a member of the Senate of the Philippines since 2004. He was born to Joseph Estrada, who was President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and Luisa Estrada; he is also the half-brother of another politician, Joseph Victor Ejercito.

Political career[link]

Senate President Pro-Tempore[link]

On July 23, 2007, Estrada was voted Senate president pro tempore, while Kiko Pangilinan is majority leader (following the assumption of Sen. Manny Villar to the chamber's leadership of the 14th Congress).^[2]

On August 15, 2007, the Supreme Court (Voting 13-0), in an 18-page decision upheld the Sandigabayan's decision to grant bail to Estrada in connection with his plunder case now awaiting promulgation before the graft court.^[3] On September 11, 2007 Estrada introduced Senate bill 1556, proposing to make ROTC mandatory for all college students, male and female.

Second Term (2010-present)[link]

Re-election as Senate President Pro-Tempore[link]

Re-elected as Senator in 2010, Estrada was again chosen by his colleagues to serve as Senate President Pro-Tempore.

Hong Kong Airport incident[link]

In August 2010, Estrada claimed that while traveling to Hong Kong, he experienced a backlash of the emotions surrounding the death of 8 Chinese nationals from Hong Kong during the 2010 Manila hostage crisis. According to him, as he passed through the immigration desk in Hong Kong, officers threw back his passport at him after checking it.^[4]

Estrada said the officer may not have known who he was because he used a "regular passport" for personal travel. He also said that he "understood the pain being felt by many Hong Kong nationals".^[4]

However, according to the Hong Kong immigration department, Estrada visited Hong Kong with a diplomat passport. From an alleged video surveillance record, he and three other Filipinos were accompanied by staff from the Philippine embassy and had arranged to go through the privileged passage for diplomats. The immigration officer handed back the passport to the Philippines embassy staff, not to Estrada. However, the news report claiming this does not show the video.^[5]

Personal life[link]

Estrada married Presentacion Vitug in 1989.

Filmography[link]

Movies[link]

• Markang Rehas: Ikalawang Aklat (1985)
• Paradise Inn (1985)
• Bagets Gang (1986)
• Isa Lang Ang Dapat Mabuhay (1986)
• Sa Kuko ng Agila (1989)
• Eagle Squad (1989)
• Estribo Gang: The Jinggoy Sese Story (1992) Vice-Mayor
• The Marita Gonzaga Rape-Slay: In God We Trust (1995)
• The Four Stooges (1995) Adrian
• Kuratong Balenghoy - Wilson Sorronda (1995)
• Strebel: Gestapo ng Maynila - Strebel (1998)
• Ang Erpat Kong Erap- Joe (1998)
• Hiwaga ng Panday - Guiller/Panday (1998)
• Pepeng Agimat - as executive producer (1999)
• Palaban - as executive producer (2000)
• Col. Elmer Jamias: Barako ng Maynila - Col. Elmer Jamias (2000)
• Col. Elmer Jamias: Barako ng Maynila - as executive producer (2000)
• Eto na Naman Ako - as executive producer (2000)
• Minsan Ko Lang Sasabihin - as executive producer (2000)
• Sagot Kita... Mula Ulo Hanggang Paa - Ador (2000)
• Walang Iwanan...Peksman (2002)
• Utang ng Ama - Don (2003)
• Katas ng Saudi - Oca (2007)
• Magkaibigan - Ruben (2008)
• Kimmy Dora - Audience member during Kimmy's speech (2009)
• Ang Tanging Pamilya: A Marry-go-Round - young Dindo (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
• Senate of the Philippines - Biography of Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
• Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada's Blogspot
• GMA NEWS.TV, A one-stop, multimedia microsite: The Estrada plunder trial verdict
• GMA NEWS.TV, Estrada Plunder Trial
• TOC Plaintiff's Memorandum
• Plaintiff's Memorandum
• NOTES ON PLUNDER CLOSING STATEMENTS
• GMA Video, Court Session on Joseph Estrada's verdict
• GMA Video, Sandigan finds Erap guilty of plunder
• GMA Video, Interview with Estrada after conviction
• GMA Video, Estradas overcome with sadness, after verdict

Senatorial history of Jinggoy Estrada v t e <14th Senators of the 15th Congress of the Philippines (2010-2013) 16th> Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (2010–present) # Senior Senators (2007–2013) Junior Senators (2010–2016) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Aquilino Pimentel III (2011–present)## Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri (2007–11)## Vacant (since 2010)### Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Franklin Drilon Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Tito Sotto Term ends June 30, 2013 Term ends June 30, 2016 # — Ponce Enrile was also the Senate president of the 14th Congress. ## —Zubiri resigned from office on August 3, 2011, replaced by Pimentel afterwards. ### — Vacant due to election of Benigno Aquino III to the presidency. v t e <13th Senators of the 14th Congress of the Philippines (2007-2010) 15th> Senate Presidents Juan Ponce Enrile (2008-2010) · Manny Villar (2006-2008) # Senior Senators (2004-2010) Junior Senators (2007-2010) Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Vacant ## Edgardo Angara Benigno Aquino III Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri Panfilo Lacson Term ended June 30, 2010 Term ends June 30, 2013 # — Villar was also the previous Senate president of the 13th Congress. ## — Vacant due to election of Alfredo Lim as the mayor of Manila. v t e <12th Senators of the 13th Congress of the Philippines (2004-2007) 14th> Senate Presidents Manny Villar (2006-2007) # · Franklin Drilon (2004-2006) Senior Senators (2001-2007) Junior Senators (2004-2010) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Franklin Drilon Luisa Estrada Juan Flavier Panfilo Lacson Sergio Osmeña III Francis Pangilinan Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Manny Villar Vacant ## Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Alfredo Lim ### Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Term ended June 30, 2007 Term ended June 30, 2010 # — Villar became the next Senate president during the 14th Congress. ## — Position vacated when Noli de Castro was elected to the vice presidency. ### — In 2007, Lim vacated his position prior to his election as the mayor of Manila.