Thanks.  It reminds me of an email exchange I had several years ago with David Skaggs (D-CO).  I'd just received some franking mail (campaign literature paid for by taxpayers) in which he was boasting on the federal funds he got for 3 major Colorado highway and bridge projects.

I wrote: "I think Colorado should pay for its own roads and bridges."

He replied: "We can't afford to without federal help."

I replied:  "We could if we weren't also being taxed for similar pork barrel projects in the other 49 states that we don't benefit from.  We wouldn't be so extravagant if we were spending our own money."