Bush increases budget for National Endowment of the Arts!

[Tmy]

http://www.nea.gov/news/news03/Budget.html

This is strange. The NEA has always been such a republican target. Whats up with this move????

Maybe I can finnaly score a grant for my stick figure art! (Sundog will be so jealous!)

[RandFan]

Originally posted by Tmy
http://www.nea.gov/news/news03/Budget.html

This is strange. The NEA has always been such a republican target. Whats up with this move????

Maybe I can finnaly score a grant for my stick figure art! (Sundog will be so jealous!) Good question. Cynics believe it is purely political. All atempts to kill the NEA have failed. Many on the right routinely defend it, so, if you can't beat 'em join 'em.

Bush has set new limits when it comes to government spending. He belies the notion that Republican leadership leads to smaller government. I'm of the opinion that it is easier for someone like Bill Clinton to reduce the size of government than it is for a Republican.

But part of the onus should be placed on demagogues who use any fiscally responsible move on the part of Republicans to scare people.

I'm personally torn on the issue. I have always loved the arts but I question whether or not it is the governments job to be in the business of sponsoring art.

[LFTKBS]

An increase of seven million dollars?! That's insane! They could buy another 0.35% of a B-2 Stealth Bomber with that money!

They should scrap the whole thing and buy 6.125% of a new bomber!

[Tony]

Originally posted by LFTKBS
An increase of seven million dollars?! That's insane! They could buy another 0.35% of a B-2 Stealth Bomber with that money!

They should scrap the whole thing and buy 6.125% of a new bomber!

Im of the opinion that the stealth bomer is a work of art. Beautiful aricraft.

http://www.asm-intl.org/images2/cof/a0203_4b.jpg

[RandFan]

Originally posted by LFTKBS
An increase of seven million dollars?! That's insane! They could buy another 0.35% of a B-2 Stealth Bomber with that money!

They should scrap the whole thing and buy 6.125% of a new bomber! Your perspective is warranted. However, the spending of one program can't justify the spending of another. It must stand on its own regardless of amount. A "drop" in the bucket hardly justifies spending for any program.

"Hey if they can spend billions funding war toys then why can't they fund my pet project."
--Typical Pork Barrel justification.

Of course, one man's wasteful spending is another man's crucifix immersed in a vat of urine (AKA art) Piss Christ (http://www.renewal.org.au/artcrime/pages/serrano.html)

Preamble to the constitution (http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.preamble.html)
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

[gnome]

I'm not sure what the deal is with "piss christ"... and it's surely not evidence the NEA should be abolished... just wondering, who decided that this was worth displaying? Seems to me that nobody would shout "unfair" if someone stated that it didn't qualify because it lacked any artistic merit besides shock value, and rather juvenile at that.