This boastful display of arrogance is off the charts

That was the comment accompanying a video of Sen. Robert C. Byrd when he was in town a few weeks ago bragging about being the "Big Daddy" when it comes to getting money from the federal government for projects in West Virginia.

To see the video, click here.

There are folks who criticize Byrd as being one of the biggest hogs at the public trough when it comes to delivering money back home. Many of them refer to themselves as "porkbusters." I have a hard time getting worked up over it. Yes, we're talking millions and billions of dollars. It's not the money that gets me. I wonder what the federal interest is in some of these local projects.

Aren't we as deserving of some of this money as communities with unnecessary military installations? And didn't Byrd's clout help save the Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers back in late 1992 and early 1993 when Bush 41 wanted to punish the state for voting Democrat?

Congress engages in other foolishness that outrages me more than most of Byrd's appropriations. And Byrd's desire to have his name on everything in the state bugs me mightily, too.

More on this tomorrow.

UPDATE 1: I was there the day Byrd made that comment. I stood outside the packed room where he was speaking. To see what I wrote from that day, click here.