Since 1975, Sen. William Proxmire has given the "Golden Fleece of the Month Award" for the "biggest, most ridiculous or most ironic example of govermnent spending or waste." He has two more awards to give before he retires, but he refused to "scoop himself" by diclosing the recipients.
The most recent award was given Sept. 18 to the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, which "spent $68,160 of taxpayers' money for the the `Goofy' idea of sending mass transit officials to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., to learn Disney's secrets of motivating employees."
About 160 projects have received the dubious distinction since 1975, ranging from researchers trying to find out why people fall in love to fellow senators trying to build themselves a new gymnasium.
Proxmire says he's not sure what he'll do with the award, but he's inclined to take it with him, not pass it on to a colleague. "I thought I might do it as a private citizen," he said.