In 1975, William Proxmire, former U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, established the , which was an award presented to those public officials in the United States who wasted public money on questionable and most times ridiculous projects. Its name is a reference to the Order of the Golden Fleece, and a play on the transitive verb to fleece, as in charging excessively for goods or services

While growing up in the 1960-70s I  used to look forward every month to Proxmire’s announcement of the latest Golden Fleece Award as I was eager to see if that month’s award could possibly be more frivolous and outrageous than previous one. In fact, some of the Golden Fleece winners were so bizarre that it was difficult to believe that they were projects that sane congressmen and congresswomen could vote, "yes" for them!

So, when I read that the White House has approved completion of the VH-71 presidential helicopter program but now expects the program to cost a total of $11.2 billion — $4.4 billion more than initial estimates and no one bats an eye. Well, it reminds me of good ole’ Senator Proxmire and the Golden Fleece days.

Cost overruns seem to be the rule and not the exception in Government these days however they still qualify for the "fleecing of America". Some of you might remember the $1200 hammers and $200+ toilet seats….that peanuts! CHECK IT OUT:

• Office of Education for spending $219,592 in a “curriculum package” to teach college students how to watch television.
• National Science Foundation for spending $84,000 on a study on love
•  United States Postal Service for spending over $3.4 million on a Madison Avenue ad campaign to make Americans write more letters to one another
• Federal Aviation Administration for a $57,800 study of the body measurements of airline stewardess trainees
• Department of Agriculture for spending nearly $46,000 to find out how long it takes to cook breakfast.
• National Endowment for the Humanities for making a $25,000 grant through the state to Arlington County, VA, to study why people are rude, cheat and lie on the local tennis courts.

Senator Proxmire’s Golden Fleece Awards were given out from 1975 through 1988 in essence documenting the waste of billions of dollars that could have provided vital services to American citizens who were literally starving, ailing and dying in the U.S. And it should be noted that is was so-called "god-fearing" men and women that not only let it happen but actually passed legislation to make it happen.

The Lang Report is reviving the Golden Fleece Award program to continue the good work that Senator William Proxmire began over 30 years ago. He could not stop the bleeding of American tax dollars however he could expose them, at the very least raising the awareness of a sleeping and ignorant citizenry. By adding a "Golden Fleece" category it is our hope to do the same.

TO BE CONTINUED……

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