BUDGET INCREASE FOR THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS

The Drudge Report ^ | 01-28-2004 | Matt Drudge

[Captain Peter Blood]

BUSH TO SEEK BIG BUDGET INCREASE FOR NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS... Laura Bush plans to announce the request -- for the largest increase in two decades -- on Thursday... Developing...

[GeronL]

I need to see more bread and fewer circuses from this administration.

With millions on the Atkins diet, we have a glut of bread in this country..... the oranges already got their subsidy... is bread next?

[futureceo31]

People dont seem to get the big picture obviously. Good point..:)

[mhking]

I'm lost... ask mhking about what?? =o)

[shrug]

[COEXERJ145]

Same thinking as in 92...vote Perot or Clinton to prove a point. The problem being of course that Clinton got in started doing serious damage to the country and mostly to the military and intelligence communities...94 was great but Newt refused to bend on gov shutdown and Clinton got re-elected to do even more damaged. Nose/Face. Baby/Bathwater.

And yet that is what many here want to do all over again except substitute Kerry or Dean for Klintoon.

[Pubbie]

I disagree - there are a lot of programs that could be completely eliminated like HUD, Department of Education, PBS and on and on.

And you could also cut billions by laying off some goverment workers.

What we really need is bigger margins in the Senate to get those things done.

But the Goverment can be shrunk by a lot - we just need more GOP senators.

[lewislynn]

The reasons for staying home in November are pilling up at an accelerated pace as the day draws near.

[Bernard Marx]

one man, one party

Once, when Jay Ward was campaigning for Moosylvania statehood, he convinced me the two-party system was best. One starts at 8 p.m., the other at midnight. Of course his mantra was "one moose, one party."

[onyx]

Excellent comments and observations by both of you.

The GOP long ago ('94-95) caved-in to the NEA when it was made to be all about Barney the Dinosaur and Big Bird.

Blame and write to Congress.

[jgrubbs]

I wonder if Bush has pushed Alan Keyes to the Constitution Party yet??

At the "Biblical Foundations of American Law'' conference sponsored by the Constitution Party this past Saturday, Constitution Party national chairman Jim Clymer of Lancaster read an audience question asking whether Keyes plans to join the Constitution Party.

The Republican Keyes demurred, saying he still wants to fight to keep the GOP connected with its conservative base.

If that fails, he said, "a lot of people are going to be looking for a new home. ... I'm grateful there are folks preparing an ark, just in case.'' Before the conference, some of Keyes' fellow conservative Republicans were expressing concern about attending, since some county GOP committee members were forced to resign last year for supporting Clymer for county commissioner.

http://www.lancasteronline.com/articles/5196.shtm

[The Old Hoosier]

I think he works for the Bush campaign.

[gatorbait]

I don't care what the increase is. It's the principle of the thing

For the sake of conversation, what principle is it this time? Bush is the Anti christ so we'll all run to the Constitution Party , a group that happily takes your money, sort of like the Libertarian PArty and your neighborhood casino, and gives you naught to show for any of it. You are smart enough to understand Sun Tzu with a nice mix of Machieavelli . Besides, A little bit of seed money for a National monument is hardly the end of civilisation. Want the end of that? Go stand on "principle" like some did 12 and 8 years back. That was sure a roaring success wasn't it?

[Pubbie]

Whatever happens we must not allow Frist, Condi Rice, or Rudy to win the nomination.

There are excellent choices from the ranks of Governor's.

[Owen]

I see nothing wrong with government funding for arts, provided there is a commission established to ensure that the works of art funded celebrate liberal and conservative themes equally. For every Maplethorpe atrocity, there should be funding for someone who plans a painted mural showing how important to America the development of the breech loading rifle has been.

It's not a lot of money, and properly administered, it could result in some solid improvement to conservative life.

[luckydevi]

sigh

[yonif]

No, it was Ronald Reagan

ah. I think I was mixing it up with another quote.

[Revolting cat!]

Who needs art when we got TV?!

[lainde]

What is he thinking? 99% of "artists" despise the president. What is the point? This is very depressing.

[GeronL]

Rick Perry is announcing $600 Million for the schools... the Dem's say it will take a tax hike.... so scratch Perry.

[WOSG]

Reasons for the fluctuations in Funding:

In the mid 1990s, the GOP was serious about ending the deficit and serious about cutting useless programs. The NEA was a target. There were very close votes to actually kill the NEA. But thanks to RINO support, it survived.
It survived partly by a compromise that drastically shaved it back and by throwing overboard some controversial grants.

It was also saved by the GOP Congress leaders trying to 'soften' their tone:

http://www.cni.org/Hforums/nha-announce/1997/0001.html


o Ralph Regula (R-OH), chair of the Interior and Related Agencies
[appropriations] Subcommittee, has been saying for months that obstacles
to a FY-98 appropriation for NEA include: a) the agency isn't authorized
and b) the agreement between the GOP leadership and GOP freshman and
others calls for a phaseout of NEA at the end of FY-97. The basic message
was that NEA supporters should seek relief from the authorizing committee.
In the last few days, Mr. Regula has begun talking about seeking Rules
Committee protection and stopped urging arts (and sometimes humanities)
supporters to "go talk to the authorizers." In general, a subcommittee or
committee chair would only go to the Rules Committee if leadership
agreement or at least acquiescence had not been secured in advance.
Seemingly, Mr. Armey's admission on the lack of votes freed Mr. Regula to
play a more active role -- the more characteristically supportive role
that many remember from past Congresses.

[gatorbait]

, let the Bush family spend their money then on all that then

What makes you think that they don't?