pork barrelling
Funding for votes
Pork barrelling is the practice of politicians directing government funds to local projects primarily to win favor with constituents rather than serve broader public interest.
The term evokes feeding at a trough—legislators securing roads, bridges, or facilities for their districts to boost reelection prospects: Critics accused the senator of pork barrelling with the new highway project.
Also spelled pork-barreling.
The related noun pork barrel describes such spending or the source of funds.
- earmarkDesignate for specific purpose
- pet projectBeloved personal initiative
- bridge to nowhereUseless connecting structure
- fundingSupplying monetary resources
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
federal dollars · congressional · patronage · allocation · government · bill · horse-trading · budget · logrolling · amendment · riders · appropriation · lobbying · special interests · nepotism · gerrymandering · conflict of interest · campaign financing
pork barrellingcost-benefit analysis
Systematic comparison of advantages, disadvantages
pork barrellinggood governance
Accountable, transparent institutional management
transparency · anti-corruption · statesmanship · accountability · fiscal responsibility
pork, barrel, barrelling, barreled, barreling, barrels, porky, porker, porks