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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThey called this gentleman the "Prince of Pork"? I'd call him a damn good congressman.
WEST FRANKFORT, Ill. (AP) Former U.S. Rep. Ken Gray, who represented southern Illinois in Congress and earned the nickname the "Prince of Pork" for bringing $7 billion in projects to his district, died Saturday at age 89.
Parker-Reedy Funeral Home in West Frankfort said Sunday that Gray died at a hospital in Herrin after a long illness. Gray was first elected to Congress in 1954 and served ten terms until high blood pressure forced him to retire in 1974. He returned to Congress in 1984 to serve two terms but retired again, citing a muscular disorder caused by a tick bite during a congressional visit to Brazil.
Gray, a Democrat, was a colorful figure during his time in Washington. He was known for bringing federal projects to his depressed district, including a federal prison, an interstate highway, post offices and hospitals.
"They call Rend Lake pork," Gray said in a 2008 interview with The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale (http://bit.ly/1tEGWsz ). "Yet the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, six years ago when there was tremendous flooding, said that because of Rend Lake holding the water back, more than $100 million worth of property downstream was saved. If that is pork, pass me the plate, because I'll take another heaping serving."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/13/ken-gray-dead_n_5582469.html
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)This was how Congress used to get things done and reach across the aisle.
Now we have nothing.
The 'no earmarks' experiment is a failure.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and thought "what a cool name- I want to be the Baron of Bacon".
Aerows
(39,961 posts)and in my kingdom, they would all be thick, juicy, medium rare and with lots of cheese. Condiments would be up to the choice of the Barony residents.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and the Baron of Bacon- two things that go great together. Now all we need is a Count (or Countess) of Cheddar.
Aerows
(39,961 posts)She and I will need to be in close union, and we will make that a right in our collective kingdoms!
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)Overseas
(12,121 posts)Populist_Prole
(5,364 posts)According to republican thought process: Pork = Economic development that's good for people they hate
WillyT
(72,631 posts)I like what this guy had to say... a tad sexist, yet...
Jesse Marvin Unruh
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_M._Unruh
IronLionZion
(45,446 posts)many young people drank their beer, ate their pizza, and then signed up for health insurance anyway to get screenings for cholesterol and diabetes.
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)(which they do), you'll be the first to defend that state's politicians?
Color me skeptical.
RandySF
(58,846 posts)Or complan about certain groups of people receiving benefits. Perfect example: Republicans. I've never had any problem with earmarks so long as requests and justifications were done out in the open.