Taxpayer Money Entrusted To Our Government - Attempting to Read the thoughts of past Great Virginians I find it useful to my understanding of the great work of our James Madison, the Constitution, to review its literal wording when issues such as how should the Congress expend our treasury are discussed from different viewpoints. Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have the power... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;" "... to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards and other needful Buildings;.." From what I have learned of the Founding Fathers, I would suggest, ever so mildly, that they had no inclination that their work would lead to the public funding of either the "un-useful" arts or the preservation of "un-needed" buildings. ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html