They called this gentleman the "Prince of Pork"? I'd call him a damn good congressman.

[RandySF]

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]

1. Bring home the bacon!

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]

3. I saw "Prince of Pork"...

and thought "what a cool name- I want to be the Baron of Bacon".

[Aerows]

4. I'd like the title of "Baroness of Burgers"

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]

5. Baroness of Burgers...

and the Baron of Bacon- two things that go great together. Now all we need is a Count (or Countess) of Cheddar.

[Aerows]

6. I'll take the Countess of Cheddar

She and I will need to be in close union, and we will make that a right in our collective kingdoms!

[jmowreader]

11. A Prince of Provolone and a Monsignor of Muenster would be better

[awoke_in_2003]

12. the more cheese the better. nt

[Overseas]

2. K&R.

[Populist_Prole]

7. Pork definition

According to republican thought process: Pork = Economic development that's good for people they hate

[WillyT]

8. I Hear Ya... Yet '54. '74, Even '84... Were A Different Time...

I like what this guy had to say... a tad sexist, yet...

Jesse Marvin Unruh

On lobbyists – "If you can't eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women and then vote against them, you have no business being up here."

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_M._Unruh

[IronLionZion]

13. That's what many did with the Koch-funded opposition to health insurance

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]

9. Oh, so when people howl about one state getting more funds than it pays in

(which they do), you'll be the first to defend that state's politicians?

Color me skeptical.

[RandySF]

10. Only if they hypocritically complain about federal spending.

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.