Want proof that our lawmakers in the federal government are out of touch with reality? Look no farther than the fact it has taken more than 36 years for our elected leaders to realize that taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for extravagant celebrations by the two major political parties.

And even though House Republicans and Democrats were able to agree that eliminating federal assistance for presidential conventions is a good idea, the move still has to be reconciled with similar legislation that has already been approved by the Senate.

According to Associated Press reports, the government has spent $224 million on conventions since 1976. Federal funding for this year’s conventions topped $35 million, about 20 percent of what it cost to throw these lavish parties. In the past, tax dollars have paid for as much as 95 percent of the convention costs.

This has to stop now.

It should be a “no-brainer” decision but apparently there are many people we have put in Washington who have no brains.

Ninety five members of the House of Representatives voted against this measure.

Voters should certainly determine if their representatives did so and respond accordingly at the polls.

The argument that this funding program eliminates the influence of lobbyists and private donors is ludicrous. This just continues to erode the public’s confidence that our government knows what it is doing and knows how to spend money wisely.

Fixing this is a good way to start addressing how our leaders spend our taxdollars.