Golden Fleece Award

WASHINGTON D.C. — On Wednesday, an editorial published by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette highlighted Congressman French Hill's Golden Fleece Award—a monthly bulletin on the most frivolous and wasteful uses of hardworking taxpayers’ dollars.  

The editorial stated, "A few years back, the Congressman from central Arkansas, French Hill, rebooted the Golden Fleece Award. Few awards needed such a boot, maybe even giving one on occasion in the back of the pants to deserving government types. For when it comes to fleecing taxpayers, the federal government knows from it."

Read the full editorial copied below.

Target-rich environment
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Page 8B
Opinion-Editorial
March 3, 2019

A few years back, the congressman from central Arkansas, French Hill, rebooted the Golden Fleece Award. Few awards needed such a boot, maybe even giving one on occasion in the back of the pants to deserving government types. For when it comes to fleecing taxpayers, the federal government knows from it.

But how decide which outfit/agency deserves it most? It's like what the military super-lifers called it when rushed by hundreds of op-forces: It's a target-rich environment, sir.

Word from the press release, if not the press, said the latest Golden Fleece went to . . . (drumroll) . . . the United States Navy, for putting flawed but expensive boats on the water.

French Hill's website says these billion-dollar ships are being delivered to the Navy, but in "varying degrees of incomplete work and quality problems." But apparently the Navy puts aside a lot of money to get the ships, uh, ship-shape after delivery. Or as French Hill put it, "The delivery of warships with flaws costs the taxpayers money and, most importantly, hurts the Navy's readiness."

George Will once said that a United States senator has no more shame than a living room sofa. But military departments do. Somewhere, somebody is getting a dressing down. And one part of the chewing might have gone like this: And if the press ever gets hold of this, we're going to look bad!

Because we haven't seen just a whole lot of stories about this colossal waste of tax money in the press. The top of Drudge on Monday was devoted to Mick Jagger (bless his heart, literally) and Fox News is obsessed with how often Joe Biden gives back rubs. What was the stand-by for old-school editorials? Attention must be paid!

But will it? Maybe only with the help of French Hill's press office.

This is an award with much tradition. Even Dr. Tom Coburn's Wastebook came later. The Golden Fleece Award might have been the brainchild of a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, namely William Proxmire. The archives say the first Golden Fleece went to the National Science Foundation back in 1975, for funding a study about why people fall in love. For only $84,000 of your money.

We remember the criticism of the award, too. Some high muckety-muck in the entertainment industry wrote a book about creativity in 2014. In it, he said the Golden Fleece might have had "a chilling effect on research."

Let's hope so. Gosh, isn't that the whole point?

Should taxpayers really pay to research the physical measurements of flight attendants? (We did.) Should taxpayers really pay to compare fish aggressiveness when exposed to tequila as opposed to gin? (We did.) Should taxpayers really pay to teach college kids how to watch TV? (We did.)

Let's just say French Hill is carrying on a tradition. It could be said, too, that so is the federal government. Except only one of these traditions is to the benefit of American taxpayers.