# Meaning of "Pork belongs in sandwiches, not DC" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [November 26, 2024, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793 "2024-11-26T09:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/1 "2024-11-26T09:51:00Z")
Trump addressed a Libertarian rally, to many boos and jeers. Many of the people were holding signs with the slogan “Pork belongs in sandwiches, not DC” What does this even mean? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/H0h46NaM40g/maxresdefault.jpg "BOOS ERUPT: Trump’s On Stage NIGHTMARE TAKES TURN FOR THE WORST!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0h46NaM40g) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/2 "2024-11-26T10:01:13Z")
Congress over spending by adding pet projects to bills which benifits the congressional district they represent is called pork. Its a common practice in Washington DC. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/3 "2024-11-26T11:04:54Z")
^^^ Yes. Here is a short explanation with an example. > **[Pork Barrel Politics](https://www.polyas.com/election-glossary/pork-barrel-politics)** > > Pork barrel politics describes allocating funds to local projects to secure support and votes from constituents. Read more about it at POLYAS.com! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/4 "2024-11-26T12:09:47Z")
Thanks for the answer, both of you. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/5 "2024-11-26T12:36:02Z")
It was essentially outlawed in 2011 but has been brought back: > **[The Return of Earmarks Means More Pork-Barrel Spending by Congress](https://reason.com/2022/05/30/earmarks-are-back/)** > > Lawmakers stuffed more than 4,000 pet projects, totaling more than $8 billion, into an omnibus federal spending bill passed in March. But wait, didn't It amounts to about 1/1000 of federal spending, and almost all of the projects are good. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-pork-belongs-in-sandwiches-not-dc/1010793/6 "2024-11-26T20:02:04Z")
Beside, a little pork grease works wonders against partisan legislative gridlock. Eliminating “pork barrel politics” (which is loaded phrase in and of itself) was one of those things that sounded like a good intentioned no-brainer but turned out to have some unintended consequences. One of those consequences is partisan gridlock, a situation where no Republican will ever vote for anything Democrats support, and vice versa. While tossing in a measly million dollar project for a congressional district into a bill in exchange for a vote may feel like buying votes, it’s kind of how politics works, and most of those projects are good and necessary.