PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: The Times Picayune has a roundup of progress to date that’s lengthy and thorough:

You want to funnel millions to Louisiana? OK, how much are you willing to deny North Dakota?

The initial proposals failed in Washington, suggesting that though Katrina may have swamped a major American city and killed more than 1,000 people, it lacked the punch needed to make elected officials give up pet projects. Nevertheless, supporters vowed that the synergy unleashed by the hurricanes that battered the Gulf Coast this year and a bloated federal budget that both liberals and conservatives bemoan for differing reasons could produce a watershed moment in fiscal management. . . .

Despite last week’s setbacks, members of the Porkbusters movement remain optimistic. Hurricane Katrina and its enormous price tags have stirred new debate about fiscal responsibility, they say.

One positive sign, they say, is a proposal that would require massive cuts to offset post-Katrina appropriations. It was introduced by the Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus that has gained status on the Hill since the GOP leadership was rocked by the indictment of Texas U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay and criticism of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

Meanwhile, here’s an article from the Washington Post on the Coburn Amendment aftermath:

Although the Coburn amendment lost, it struck a chord among lawmakers as they face increasing belt-tightening pressure. . . .

And, there is a curious twist to the story: Many residents of Alaska appear to support forfeiting the bridge money for hurricane relief. “This money, a gift from the people of Alaska, will represent more than just material aid; it will be a symbol for our beleaguered democracy,” reads a typical letter to the Anchorage Daily News.

Young, who made sure his state was one of the top recipients in the highway bill, was asked by an Alaska reporter what he made of the public support for redirecting the bridge money. “They can kiss my ear! That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” he replied.

If you needed any more proof that “pork” is about putting money in the hands of fatcat contributors, rather than helping constituents, this would seem to be it.

UPDATE: More on the blogosphere’s role, and the Capitol Hill response, at the National Journal’s Blogometer.