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I think it has a lot to do with the way government in the US is structured, specifically the focus on local representatives. Because US legislators are beholden
by magila 9y ago
I think it has a lot to do with the way government in the US is structured, specifically the focus on local representatives. Because US legislators are beholden to voters in a particular locality, any time there's an infrastructure project which receives state and/or federal funding there is tremendous pressure to make it draw as much money as possible into the local economy. This is the classic "bringing home the bacon" which is expected of pretty much every US politician. This has increasingly become accepted as the norm in the US, despite occasional lip service from politicians. The truth is they are all too happy to accept spending lavishly on local projects, as long as it benefits members of their party.
Other developed countries tend to have parliamentary systems where policy making requires multi-party coalitions. When you need to get three or more parties on board there is less opportunity to get park-barrel spending passed without _someone_ crying foul.
- chimeracoder 9y ago> I think it has a lot to do with the way government in the US is structured, specifically the focus on local representatives. Because US legislators are beholden to voters in a particular locality, any time there's an infrastructure project which receives state and/or federal funding there is tremendous pressure to make it draw as much money as possible into the local economy. You're describing the rest of the US, not New York. New York is the other way around, where extreme corruption and disenfranchisement means elected officials have no reason to pay attention to their constituents. Sheldon Silver was one of the strongest advocates for cutting bus service, even though his district has no subway service, so they all depend on it.
- John23832 9y agoThe reduction of pork barrel politics took away the carrot... we no realize that we have no stick.