Are Taxpayers Paying for that Free Trip to Washington, DC Congressman Long?

Billy Long has had a hectic month. He has proposed National Auctioneer Day, told Congress why they should observe National Golf Day, discussed his Bozo the Clown doll to the Joplin Tea Party, and finally helped judge an art contest in Springfield, Missouri as the national debt pushes over the debt ceiling. Yes, for fed up Billy Long, it's priorities first over cutting spending in DC like he promised. Long has yet to propose one spending cut and has co-sponsored bills that would grow government while voting to continue federal funding of NASCAR teams.

Long attended the Missouri 7 Congressional Art Contest yesterday. Apparently, there are 435 of these contests around the country as each Congressional district is represented. What did we find out about the art contest? Obviously it's an expense to tax payers as the care of high-school art must be taken in consideration as it heads to and sits in the US Capitol. Not only that, we also find out the winners of this contest win a trip to Washington, DC.

I guess my question is who is paying for these trips to Washington, DC, Mr. Long? Is it the tax payer, who is having great masses of wealth confiscated from his check each week for the broken promises from the federal government? I thought Long was going to Washington cut this crazy spending because he was fed up, and more than likely tax payers aren't just subsidizing art contests so Long can hang a painting in the Capitol, it appears we are also subsidizing trips to DC for the artists? Does this include the artist's family as well?

Good for the artitsts who win, but bad for the taxpayers. While it may sound petty considering the minimal cost in the overall federal budget, all these little perks add up and contribute to the national debt. Until Congress says enough, whether it be an art contest or the booze on Nancy Pelosi's airplane, we are all going to lose in the end.