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The only people that get more steamed than PETA at the sight of a fat, juicy pile of pork are the folks at the Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW). Last month, the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization released its analysis of the Department of Homeland Security's 2009 earmarks. Near the top of this annual "Pork Alert" is funding requested for the Southeast Region Research Initiative based in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The $27 million request was made by Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee member Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). While those at Citizens Against Government Waste think the initiative is just a waste of money, those involved with the initiative think that these citizens are just wasting their time.

"The Citizens Against Government Waste missed the boat on this one," says Warren Edwards, director of the Southeast Regional Research Initiative (SERRI). Created three years ago in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, SERRI conducts research on matters ranging from evacuation capabilities of sports arenas to disaster management to "analysis of WMD in storm water treatment infrastructure." The people at SERRI believe that these problems, seemingly unique to the Southeast, are actually matters of national security. Such research is conducted in several universities across six southeastern states, including Tennessee State University and the UT-Knoxville, but not, ironically, in any colleges in the state of Louisiana.

CAGW officials see a difference in matters of natural disaster and national security. David Williams, vice president of policy for CAGW, questions whether or not natural disaster protection really has a place in the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, he wonders if the Department of Homeland Security regionalizing into branches defeats the purpose of having a single, nationalized Department. "What's next?" asks Williams, "a Northeast Region Research Initiative? Southwest? Midwest?"

But, the CAGW's biggest beef with the multi-million dollar bacon, it says, is that the Southeast Research Initiative has yet to produce a report or research paper of any kind. "There isn't a lot of meat on the bones," Williams says in regard to the SERRI Web site, which in fact does not have any reports available. While the statement that there are no research reports on the SERRI Web site is technically true, the Community and Regional Resilience Initiative (CARRI), which is a major program funded by SERRI, has released numerous reports.

While there is little chance the Citizens Against Government Waste will help shut down any of the major earmarks listed on its "Pork Alert," they remain optimistic about the future of earmark discussion. The constant use of the words "earmark" and "pork barrel" in the 2008 presidential election is evidence enough that the American public is becoming increasingly sensitive to big government spending. "We always keep our fingers crossed," Williams admits, "but we see more defeats than victories."