Walnuts R Us

What is it with us that our Congress will spend absolute fortunes on anything and everything you can imagine but, in some of our Congressmen’s minds, we spend nothing?

Think I am not making sense again? ... Please allow me to explain.

There is an ongoing financial commitment in our annual federal budget aimed at one of America’s favorite nuts. Few can argue with the need for this allocation of our tax dollars...

Improving the Hardness of Walnut Shells to Prevent Flavor Leakage

Twenty years ago Congress originally appropriated $200,000 to this worthy endeavor.

Under pressure from a heavily funded lobbying group called Nuts Are Nutritional, LLC (NAN), Congress has raised the amount allocated for this project every year for 20 years. In the budget negotiations for the 21^st year a member of congress stands up and says,
“Last year’s Walnut Hardness Appropriation was $6,677,098.22. Can you believe that a country which used to be as rich as we used to be only spends this paltry a sum on such a worthy project? I am here and now proposing a $1,000,000 increase in next year’s appropriation.”

Then these words will inevitably be spoken...
“It is unconscionable that a country as large as this will not spend anything to help the walnut!”

There you have it. If we do not spend more in any year, the amount we do spend is declared to be nothing.

Since when did $6,677,098.22 become nothing? In our Congress it may not be much but it isn’t nothing.

Would I kid u?