I am told that pork-packing is the most lucrative profession in America, after politics.
– Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 3. Lord Henry’s cynical view on how Americans make their money. Pork packing was a major industry in the America of the 19th century. Pork-packers also has political connotations. Pork barrel politics involve appropriating government funds for localized projects secured solely or mainly to bring money to a representative’s district.