What am I talking about? Well, I go to check out Congressman Billy Long's new Congressional Web site, which is quite nice, especially compared to Senator Claire McCaskill's mess of a Web site. When I get there the words "Art Competition" stand out. Art competition? Who sent "fed up" Billy Long to Congress to encourage federal art contests? I thought he was "fed up" of this wasteful spending? Surely we can have national art contests in this country without the federal government getting involved, which they have no Constitutional authority to participate in--at least I can't find it in the 18 enumerated powers.
Congressman Long's Art Competition page reads:
Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 7th District. The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.
Art works entered in the contest may be up to 32 inches by 32 inches (including the frame) and may be up to 4 inches in depth. The art work may be
- Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
- Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers
- Collage
- Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
- Mixed Media
- Computer Generated Art
- Photography
All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution.
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.
If you would like more information on the annual Congressional District Art Competition - including this year's deadlines - please submit the following form.
How much federal money are we paying as taxpayers to hire judges or to hang and maintain the art? Are taxpayers buying frames and other display hardware for this art? I think we need answers from "fed up" Billy.
Now I am going to keep my eyes open for votes in which Long approves money for the National Endowment for the Arts, because many of these youngsters who submit their art will soon become federal beggars looking for a grant paid for by taxpayers and delivered by the National Endowment of the Arts.
