The Ann Arbor City Council in Michigan is threatening fire firefighters. It has eliminated crucial city positions. Why? Budget cuts. Times are tough.

But ...

Somehow the city has $850,000 to commission a German artist to build a three-piece water sculpture that would go in front of the new police and courts building right by the City Hall.

Question: If corporate welfare is so bad, why is welfare for artists so wonderful? You do realize, don't you, that this German artist would have no chance in hell of selling his POS work of art in the private marketplace for anywhere near $850,000. Why are taxpayers abused this way?

This is what happens when you let government hacks get control of other people's money. That is the basis of our current problems with government. And it is not limited to Washington or to city halls. Take a look at this study out of California which shows that there is absolutely no correlation between government school spending and test scores. Yet K-12 spending rose 21.9% from fiscal 2003-2004 to 2008-2009, outpacing state income growth and inflation. When it comes down to it, none of that money ended up actually going to students -- classroom expenditures as a share of total school spending fell to 57.8% from 59%. Instead, it went toward hiring more administrators, who then enjoyed outlandish bonuses and pay hikes with zero accountability or performance-based system.

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation."

--John Marshall