"I really like that Senator Coburn," he said as we walked up to the green. "No one else is watching out for our tax dollars like that guy."

Those words were on target, because two days later, Coburn released a report which said that the US government was spending close to half a million dollars to send over 100 federal workers to the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City

Coburn assailed the spending priorities of the feds, arguing "most taxpayers would probably agree that providing life saving treatment to 35 of their fellow Americans is a better expenditure of funds than paying to send 116 government employees on a trip to Mexico."

"This is a simple question of priorities when it comes to addressing HIV/AIDS--talk or treatment? Conference or care?" Coburn asked in a statement.

Coburn has long assailed excessive travel budgets at federal agencies, arguing that it represents a huge waste of taxpayer dollars.

Two years ago, a Coburn sponsored review found that federal agencies had spent more than $1.4 billion underwriting conferences and sending employees to them since fiscal year 2000.

As for the latest salvos that he's fired at the AIDS conference, the report dealing with it from a Senate Subcommittee also has a few other juicy items.

"In addition to some scientific and scholarly workshops, the event will feature a "Sex Workers Mini Film Festival," and a session led by a pro-prostitution group that brags of being "proud" of its work and proud to bring in "lots of tourist dollars" for Thailand."

While it would be nice to think that the bureaucracy is listening and will rein in such spending....

Don't hold your breath.