July 11, 2006 2:21PM 

# Porkers Get Prime Seats 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) 

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This morning I attended President Bush’s speech on the release of the midsession budget review at the White House. Bush first tied his tax cuts to the strong economic growth the nation is experiencing, and he was on solid ground. He then delivered some fine rhetoric about restraining spending and cutting special interest pork. Perhaps his new budget and Treasury chiefs–Rob Portman and Henry Paulson–can actually get him to follow through on those frequently made promises. But I would be more convinced if the White House hadn’t invited two of the Senate’s biggest pork barrelers–Ted Stevens and Conrad Burns–to sit right in the front row for the speech!

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[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Tax and Budget Policy](https://www.cato.org/tax-budget-policy) 

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