I lived in SF decades ago, and I’m an author published by major publishers. Every publishable author needs time to write. I had a husband, which was a big advantage. We lived in SF about a million years ago.
I’m not totally turned off by projects that subsidize writers. But those writers should have contracts with publishers before aid is given. I got really large advances from big publishing houses, but not everyone does. You don’t write the entire book to get an advance. Just the first chapter and a comprehensive outline.
Really complex situation to sort through. I would most assuredly NOT subsidize ca-ca writers or works that trash the USA.
I don’t think taxpayers should subsidize literature. That is not what taxes are for.
One big problem with government subsidies of the arts is that you are taxing one group of people to subsidize people who may hate them or not share their values.
One specific example—White males should not be taxed to pay to support artists who use their art to hate on white males.
Then we get to the next problem—if government subsidizes it, directly or indirectly, then government can intervene to decide what it deems “art” and what does not qualify.
That politicizes “art”—and as we know any institution that is not actively right wing quickly drifts into a left-wing bias—so “art” turns into Communist agit-prop.