I heard on NPR yesterday that one of the sticking points in the stimulus package is funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). $50 million of the $819 billion (.06 %) is slated for the organization.
Here’s the debate:
Jack Kingston, a Republican Representative from Georgia, advocated shifting the proposed NEA funding into highway construction. “We have real people out of work right now, and putting $50 million in the NEA and pretending that’s going to save jobs as opposed to putting $50 million in a road project is disingenuous,” he said, onhealthycanadian pharmacy adding that he believes that all of the NEA’s funding needs to be examined.
I guess according to this logic, artists aren’t “real people.” Also, I’m willing to wager than the NEA could award fellowships and stipends in far less time than it would take for the notoriously slow orange-jacketed fellows to start highway construction.
Later in the Art Info article, Dana Gioia, former NEA chairman, adds:
As far as I’ve heard, nothing has changed about the dietary needs of artists.
Createquity also has great commentary (and the perfect image!) on the funding brouhaha.
3 comments
I’ve heard those artists have had to stop eating, actually. (But good for Dana Gioia — it’s at times like this when you want the NEA chairman to come up with a quick-witted response.)
How about we apply the $50M to help pay off interest on our national debt? Screw the NEA and federal highway projects.
Artists should ask for money from private sector donors who appreciate their contributions. Why do taxpayers have to foot the bill? Art existed long before the NEA was founded, and will continue to exist if we eliminate funding for the NEA.
This whole stimulus bill was a waste of money that our great-great grandchildren will be paying off 200 years from now.
The government pays for a number of things that it considers to be essential for the broader health of the nation, and the arts are certainly one of those things.
If you want to get picky about governmental expenses, there is a ton of pork spending that should be cut far before NEA funding is cut.
Our politicians sneeze out $50m dollars in foreign aid to about 45 countries you’ve never ever heard of, much less spell.