An Open Letter To President Bush From The Common Man

The Reality Check ^ | 03 February 2004 | Judson Cox

[Lando Lincoln]

Mr. President, I know you are busy, and I think you are doing a terrific job saving the free world from Islamic Fascism. You’ve got my vote; however, I have a bit of a concern. Let me get this right, I get up earlier than I’d wish to every day, burn a fresh hole in my gut with the first of several cups of coffee, drive a car I can barely afford gas for, to a job I don’t really like. There, I stand for eight to ten hours on concrete floors, unloading trucks, stocking shelves, running a cash register and doing a hundred other mind numbing tasks. I return home exhausted, with my feet, back and knees aching, to a house I can’t really afford. Now, Mr. President, can you explain why you think it is a good idea to take a portion of my hard earned money, and give it to the National Endowment for the Arts?

Mr. President, I like art. I don’t really enjoy musical theater, but I like Shakespeare. I love literature, and have stacks of books packing my shelves. Those books, I mostly bought used; I didn’t receive a government grant. I also enjoy the visual arts, especially film, and I’m not unfamiliar with painting and photography – I even have a few favorite artists. However, I don’t have the time to go to many museums. I work, Mr. President, and I go to school; one day, when I can afford it, I will probably have a family. I don’t see myself being able to indulge in art appreciation any time soon.

I know that you and your friends have the time and money for such cultural pursuits; what I don’t understand, is why you think I should have to pay for your pleasure and edification. Oh, but there I go being crass and selfish by bringing money into the hallowed arts. I know you just cannot put a price tag on the artistic projects funded by the NEA. What is the value of a crucifix suspended in urine, photographs of men with bull-whips up their anuses, the Mother of God smeared with dung, an American flag used as a door mat or a “performance artist” smearing chocolate sauce on herself? Surely, it is more valuable than the food on my table, the health insurance I cannot afford or the savings I would like to accumulate for the family I hope to raise. And by the way, Mr. President, I don’t want you to pay for my insurance or my future children either; unlike the governing elite, I pay my own way.

Mr. President, allow me to offer you a brief synopsis of the free market. If a good or service has a value, people will buy it. Things of value do not require government subsidization. Good art will sell or be sponsored by wealthy patrons, while inferior art will fail. The intrinsic value of art is too subjective for one person or a committee to judge; such evaluations are best left to the free market. The works of Monet and Beethoven will endure forever, not because they are subsidized, but because people are willing to pay to experience them. The pet projects of anti-American, anti-Christian, gay activist bureaucratic art snobs will fail. If an artist is starving, it is because his art is lousy (and he is too lazy to apply for food stamps).

Mr. President, I appreciate your noble sentiments. I understand that you see the value of art, and want to share it with the world. You want America’s children to be edified by history’s masterpieces. You believe that every citizen (and maybe some “undocumented immigrants”) deserves the same cultural experiences that you and your wealthy friends enjoy. But please, Mr. President, pay for it out of your own pocket; pass the hat to Edwards, Kerry, Corzine, Kennedy and Rockefeller while you’re at it. The funds for the NEA come from income taxes, which are mostly paid by the rich, and therefore very little of this burden will be carried by me. However, I’d prefer that the wealthy (who pay my salary) be allowed to keep more of their money so that they can give me a pay raise. All of us would benefit from the arts, but many of us are just trying to survive. We could survive a lot better if you and your friends would take your hands out of our pockets!

Sincerely,

An Average American

Judson Cox is a political columnist from the mountains of North Carolina. He is quickly gaining recognition as one of the most popular and influential voices of his generation. As a college student, and Director of Communication for the Foundation for Conservative American Values, he has a unique perspective on matters of politics, economics and culture.

His fiercely independent style and pugilistic wit make for a column that is always entertaining, often inspiring and frequently "laugh out loud" funny. With a humor akin to P.J. O'Rourke and Dave Barry, and a plain spoken southern wisdom that matches Charlie Daniels, his confrontational style lies somewhere between Ann Coulter and Merle Haggard.

[Cicero]

Oh, yes. The elite just love trash art. Traditional ideas of beauty are related to traditional ideas of morality. If you succeed in pedaling ugly art, you succeed further in the postmodern project of confusing people about the true, the good, and the beautiful.

[JimRed]

And what the heck did you do to prevent yourself from winding up in this obvious craphole job?

He didn't choose his parents carefully enough, so he has to WORK his way through school.

[Ches]

"Average household income doesn't matter"??????

Ever hear the expression money makes the world go round? I have a business dependent on customers who require disposable income. I have employees with young children who ask for advances so they can get to work the next week. And, oh yeah, next time I go in for that business note I'll tell my friendly banker that, "Income doesn't matter." I'll bet that'll get me a long way.

[KantianBurke]

uncalled for statement. not all of us are born with parents who can give one a free ride in college. Of course to folks like you anyone who DOESN'T go to college at all is Jerry Springer material right?

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Mr. President, can you explain why you think it is a good idea to take a portion of my hard earned money, and give it to the National Endowment for the Arts?

Simple. One reason only. To take it back from the Democrats. Next!

[American_Centurion]

I never went to college. I am certainly not JS material.

Bettering oneself isn't necessarily going to college. It could be as simple as not buying that 50 in big screen on credit when you know you can't really afford it. When you do that you are a LOSER.

[brownsfan]

And what the heck did you do to prevent yourself from winding up in this obvious craphole job?

Wow. I was going to be a wise guy and post something to the effect of: "Well, get some training and get a better job, start your own business, etc. You loser!" Someone beat me to it, only it appears you're serious.
You know, working for a living isn't a BAD thing. Many folks in my father's generation worked in factories, had large families and were considered fine people.
It disturbs me that many think that we should live to work, not work to live.

[American_Centurion]

Then it isn't by definition a "dead end job" it is called a stepping stone and a person in that situation should be smart enough to see that it won't be their perpetual plight to stock shelves.

[American_Centurion]

Employees asking for advances to get to work the next week are not living within their means.

And your business by your own definition shouldn't be extremely profitable in a county where the average household income is only $24,000 populated by people who can't afford gas and you need the disposable portion to make your living, seems to me you may not have made the best decision on employees or location.

[B4Ranch]

Had to attack the messenger too I see. You folks are a comedy performance.

[American_Centurion]

Damn serious. I'm not one to give pity to a person who is a victim of their own lack of discipline and motivation. I will however offer a kick in the @55 to anyone who would like to acquire either of the above qualities, quick, fast, and in a hurry.

[Ches]

"Employees asking for advances to get to work the next week are not living within their means."

Personally, I've done rather well here. Thank you very much. As for as my employees, I guess I'm just an old softie when I see an ambitious young man with a family, anxious to learn a trade and aquire skills to advance himself and responsible enough to take care of family, not to mention honest enough to advise me of his financial situation; I choose to extend a hand rather than pull the carpet out from under him. It sounds to me like you think everyone deserves a kick in the ass. I don't.

[Ches]

"attack the messenger"

Huh?

[brownsfan]

Damn serious. I'm not one to give pity to a person who is a victim of their own lack of discipline and motivation. I will however offer a kick in the @55 to anyone who would like to acquire either of the above qualities, quick, fast, and in a hurry.

Ok, allow me to follow your logic. Those folks who worked in factories, my father's generation, sometimes called "America's Greatest Generation". The ones who fought in WWII, worked in factories, and brought their kids up to believe that working for a living is honorable. They are a bunch of losers right? They lack what it takes?
Just want to be sure I have the concepts straight.

[jjm2111]

"He is quickly gaining recognition as one of the most popular and influential voices of his generation. As a college student, and Director of Communication for the Foundation for Conservative American Values, he has a unique perspective on matters of politics, economics and culture. "

And is so vain, he puts this in his own bio.

[American_Centurion]

Most everyone at one time or another does deserve a kick in the ass. Unfortunately I can't be there at just the right time for everyone so I need some help from the rest of the principled Americans.

But I guess in my initial post, I was a little heavy on rant and light on what my rant was about.

I get pissed when someone sets themselves up to be some type of "victim" just to make a point. In this case this "victim" was named the common man. If the common man is in fact a victim, he is a victim only of his own lack of discipline and motivation. You supported this by stating most people live paycheck to paycheck and have to get an advance to buy gas to get to work. I'm sure they appreciate your kindness, which in turn fosters the honesty that allows them to ask. But IMO none of those things would have to occur if they were motivated and disciplined in the first place.

[American_Centurion]

Did they work in the factory barely able to provide or pay for transportation to work and complained about it.

You don't have to be rich to be successful, if you're not happy with your income or your job then do something about it. This article was written from the perspective that we should listen to this "common man" because he was a "victim" of circumstances in a "dead end job" and that President Bush should do something to help him instead of spending money on the Nat. Endow. for the Arts.

I don't appreciate victimology for pity.

[Ches]

I wish I had your simplistic black and white view.

Believe me, I've been known to kick ass with the best of them.

Back to the article. I think it was corny and it did not resonate with me personally. But since it was about the National Endowment of the Arts, I wrote off his choice of a working schlumph to artistic license or playing to his audience. I do not find his writing to be great literature nor a real effective way to make points with the culturally elite. The message however, is plain and clear, "don't rob the working man to support a bunch of limp-wristed (and usually left of center) people who tend to be the real deadbeats and drain on society." Somehow, it got turned around to the guy with the job being the deadbeat.

Thank you for the clarification.

[MosesKnows]

And what the heck did you do to prevent yourself from winding up in this obvious craphole job?

You do understand that this is not about his job or your job or my job don't you? It is about the fact that the federal government is not empowered to spend the public treasury's funds on unconstitutional subsidies.

As the article observed, If a good or service has a value, people will buy it.

[MosesKnows]

Mr. President, can you explain why you think it is a good idea to take a portion of my hard earned money, and give it to the National Endowment for the Arts?

A good and worthwhile question. However, I would have asked the President a slightly different question.

Mr. President, can you explain why you think the federal government is empowered by the Constitution to spend the public treasury on an endowment for the arts?