File puptcrit/puptcrit.0902, message 358


From: Christopher Hudert <heyhoot-AT-mindspring.com>
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:55:06 -0500
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Stimulus for National Endowment for the Arts



On Feb 12, 2009, at 10:10 AM, LSnyder262-AT-aol.com wrote:

> In debating the stimulus package, Senator John McCain spoke from the  
> floor of
> the Senate on February 6 and said:
>
> "$50 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts -- all  
> of us
> are for the arts. Tell me how that creates any significant number of  
> jobs?"
>
> Let's tell him.
>
> You can do so at
> http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index/cfm? 
> FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
>
> Linda

I'd agree that we should tell Senator McCain how the arts sustain  
economies and jobs. Studies have shown that the arts have significant  
impact on local and regional economies.

HOWEVER, what McCain said (when not taken out of context) was:

... the Committee Report contains a statement of how the emergency  
provisions contained in the bill meet the criteria for emergency  
spending.=A0 The report states, =93(T)he bill contains emergency funding  
for fiscal year 2009 for responses to the deteriorating economy,  
natural disasters and for other needs.=A0 The funding recommended herein  
is related to unanticipated needs and is for situations that are  
sudden, urgent, and unforeseen, specifically the devastating effects of  
the economic crisis, natural disasters, and rising unemployment.=94=A0 Mr.  
President, how in the world does rehabilitating ATV trails, providing  
food service equipment, or insuring honey bees meet these criteria?=A0  
How are they unanticipated, or sudden, urgent, or unforeseen?=A0 Someone  
needs to explain to me how giving tens of millions of dollars to the  
National Endowment of the Arts, or the Smithsonian museums will reverse  
the =93devastating effects of the economic crisis.=94=A0 <clip>
In addition to the many questionable, and in my view, wasteful spending  
provisions contained in this bill, there are numerous provisions that  
will do nothing to immediately stimulate our economy or create jobs.=A0  
While many of the items in question involve programs worthy of federal  
funding, they should be authorized and appropriated under the normal  
budget process and not included in what is supposed to be an emergency  
stimulus bill intended to create jobs.=A0 <clip>.=A0 Again =96 many  
admirable, worthwhile programs =96 but they simply do not belong in this  
bill.

I've clipped a bit to shorten to what was most applicable, but his  
point  was that while there are things that are worthy of funding, they  
do not belong in the stimulus bill, they belong in the regular budget.  
To my mind, the additional NEA funding is a borderline item. What was  
unforseen is the sudden and urgent need due to the drastic reductions  
in arts funding, created by a tanking economy, which has had a  
devastating effect throughout the arts community, felt most directly by  
us as performing artists. Funding for the arts, especially at a "mere"  
$50 million (think of that in comparison to what just 3 auto  
manufacturers have already gotten to stimulate their economies), is  
unlikely to create many jobs, but it might save a fair number and keep  
some off the unemployment roles. While I agree that this funding should  
probably be in the regular budget, I also think that the arts do need a  
more immediate boost too. The stimulus money is meant to replace some  
of the funds lost on a state and local level, not create new funding or  
jobs.

Take a look at his whole speech, and take a look at the stimulus bill.  
I think you'll agree with him that there is an awful lot of earmarks,  
pork, and questionable spending. Looks to me like too items that  
wouldn't pass in the regular budget were lumped into the stimulus bill  
so that they got funded. There are lots of items that I'd cut out or  
alter before the funding to the arts though. But that impacts me me  
directly than some of the other items. I guess if those items affected  
me more I'd be in more support of them.

Christopher
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