Funding the Fruit (Fly Research)

So, while the WGA is on strike, we’ve all been suffering without our Letterman Top-10 lists.  It’s probably not as funny (more like depressing), but Heritage has a list of the top 10 reasons to oppose the budget omnibus.  You should read them all, but here are two of the entries to get you started.

3. Restricts U.S. Energy Sources, Threatening Energy Security

The bill prohibits funding for oil shale commercial regulations which makes commercial production of the United States’ 2 trillion barrels of oil shale resources is impossible. By restricting the supply of domestic oil, this bill increases our dependence on other nations to meet our energy needs.

…

5. Loaded with Excessive Earmarks

More than 9,000 earmarks — including 300 of which were airdropped— totaling more than $23 billion have been added to the bill. For example:

• The Charles Rangel “Monument to Me” ($1.95 million)
• Rodent control in Alaska ($113,000)
• Olive fruit fly research in France ($213,000)
• Hunting and Fishing Museum in Pennsylvania ($200,000)
• Louis Armstrong Museum in New York ($150,000)
• A bike trail in Minnesota ($700,000)
• A river walk in Massachusetts ($1,000,000)
• A post office museum in downtown Las Vegas ($200,000); and
• The Lincoln Park Zoo in Illinois ($37,000)

All I have to say is: French fruit fly research!