The annual Pig Book focuses on finances on the national scale. And on the heels of the dreaded April 15 tax deadline, the Pig Book turns Americans’ attention from personal to national finances.The 2009 Pig Book is released by Citizens Against Government Waste, a self-described “private, non-partisan, non-profit organization.” It draws attention to the $19.6 billion in federal funding for the 10,160 planned projects for this fiscal year. The book also draws attention to Louisiana and to Sen. Mary Landrieu.Louisiana ranks No. 31 for the $113,383,813 in earmarks received, down 19 spots from its No. 12 position in 2008.Robert Hogan, political science professor, defined earmarks as money attained from the federal government for a project through means that stray away from standard operating procedure. It’s funding — typically added on to legislation at the last minute — aims to benefit a particular legislator’s constituency and is commonly referred to as pork barrel spending.”In their district, it’s pork,” Hogan said. “In your district, it’s economic [funding] well spent.”The list mentioned Landrieu twice, once for more than $35 million and again for $500,000. She ranked fourth among her peers for the amount of earmarks received in 2008. The 2009 list didn’t mention Landrieu’s Senate counterpart, Republican David Vitter.Landrieu used $35 million for 24 projects, including $400,000 for East Baton Rouge Parish. The half-million dollar sum was for the Lafayette Escadrille in France. This is a monument for the U.S. pilots’ efforts in France prior to the United States’ entry into World War I.”There will always be a need to direct appropriations dollars based on the needs on the ground,” Landrieu said in a statement. “At the same time, I have supported earmark reform and greater transparency, and I will continue to do so.”Landrieu’s ability to acquire federal funding for Louisiana could be indicative of her prowess as a senator, Hogan said. “Pork often goes to the members of congress who have the most clout,” Hogan said. “People in Louisiana like the fact that [Landrieu] brings federal dollars here.”Some of the pork-barrel funding acquired by Landrieu is used to protect the state, she said in a statement.”These energy and water projects support our coastal restoration and flood control efforts,” Landrieu said. “If the federal government makes wise investments now, coastal Louisiana will be better prepared for the next disaster.”Kevin Guillory, College Democrats president, said he supports pork-spending reform, just not an across-the-board reform because “not all of pork spending is bad.””You have to look at exactly what is being considered pork spending,” Guillory said. “Obviously, Landrieu [has] been heavily involved in getting money to rebuild the coastline … Some of these projects that people consider pork are important projects.”But some legislators are straying away from pork spending until the process is reformed.Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has taken a clear stance against pork barrel spending until it is reformed. “Americans are concerned with overspending in Washington,” Cassidy said in a statement. “Abuse of the earmarking process is a symptom of that disease … My position is not an indictment of every earmark, but it is an acknowledgment of the fact that Americans do not trust a flawed process.”Chuck Fontenot, College Republicans president, said, aside from Landrieu, Louisiana’s lack of presence in the report indicates Louisiana’s conservative values.”Louisiana has a great congressional delegation,” Fontenot said. —-Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]