Arts Stimulus

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:34 am

Thanks for all this information about the debate. Should there be a link to an article in your last post Lisa?

What weasel wording to this amendment: "...zero-gravity chairs, big screen televisions, beautification, rotating pastel lights, and dry heat saunas," I won't lose sleep over, but I suspect this were never at issue anyway. And now some might think that the only way they can exclude frivolous expenditure is to email their elected representatives to support this outrageous bill.

salzberg · **Posted:** Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:52 am

From the Republican point-of-view, the objection isn't that arts funding won't create jobs (it demonstrably will), but a believe that it's an activity in which the government should not be engaged. In some cases, this is the result of a sincere belief that funding the arts is best left to non-governmental sources. In other cases, it's merely blind, stupid, anti-intellectualism.

From the Democratic point-of-view, cynic that I am, I think it was never intended to be in the final bill. It was put in so that it could -- in the "spirit of compromise" -- be cut, so that the Republicans -- in the "spirit of compromise" -- wouldn't insist that food be taken out of the mouths of babies.

Diane · **Posted:** Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:47 pm

Quote:

From the Democratic point-of-view, cynic that I am, I think it was never intended to be in the final bill. It was put in so that it could -- in the "spirit of compromise" -- be cut, so that the Republicans -- in the "spirit of compromise" -- wouldn't insist that food be taken out of the mouths of babies.

-sigh-
you are probably right.

-d-

Tom Skelton · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:51 am

Quote:

With the arts and music among the many industries being hit hard in economic downturn, U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today announced plans to hold a series of hearings this Spring to examine how the arts benefit the nation's economy and schools – and what can be done to improve support for the arts and music fields.

http://edlabor.house.gov/newsroom/2009/ ... plan.shtml

Tom Skelton · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:01 am

The press release also says:

Quote:

Arts organizations generate $166.2 billion in economic activity, support 5.7 million jobs, and return nearly $30 billion in revenue to the government each year, according to a 2007 study by The Americans for the Arts.

Well, it's a good thing that $150 million was cut from the stimulus bill -- we certainly wouldn't have wanted the government to see a $29,850,000,000 profit. That's a twenty-thousand-percent return on investment.

LMCtech · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:36 pm

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, to hear there will be hearings. It's like this guy reads the paper or something. Since when do politicians read the news?


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