re: Trump's budget cuts 100% of the National Endowment for the Arts

Before 1965 the United States was an artistic Wasteland. Everyone agrees on this don't they?

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Before 1965 the United States was an artistic Wasteland

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Yep, previous to '65 no one had ever heard of American artists. All art has transpired since then.

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It seems like the budget for the NEA is only around $148M, which isn't much in comparison to the overall budget. And obviously, cutting this program will have a big impact on kids in the low end of the economic ladder

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Have to cut somewhere. Small bits add up. Explain how this department is necessary. Art flourished before the NEA and will have no problems if it goes away completely.

Piss Christ was not funded by the NEA. Serrano received no money from the feds for his work. He was not paid by the NEA to make Piss Christ. What did happen is that the work was shown and won an award at the Southeast Center for Contemporary Art. The SECCA did receive money from the NEA but the artist was not paid nor supported in any way by the NEA.

Funny how conservatives make up lies.

By the way, the NEA shouldn't be cut, but it's focus should be shifted to educational programs.

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Yep, previous to '65 no one had ever heard of American artists. All art has transpired since then.

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it would be one thing if they could legitimately argue that there's been some spectacular uptick in art quality since 1965 but that would be stupid. Hell they can't even argue that the National Endowment for the Arts drove artistic diversity.

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Hell they can't even argue that the National Endowment for the Arts drove artistic diversity.

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"Art pieces" made out of twisted scrap metal and murals made with tampons doesn't equal art imo but I'm just funny that way.

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Thats not saying you ain't gotta start somewhere but the cuts Trump is making or can make are miniscule as discretionary spending is pretty small compared to the overall budget....

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However, if you do not start cutting you bleed to death. Cuts have to be made, and the place to cut is a bloated and inefficient bureaucracy.

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I doubt that the art community suffers to badly from this cut. What does suffer is our collective humanity and culture...but whats humanity and culture got to do with putting you name over a massive building?

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Hmmmm....if the Arts are not going to suffer, then why is our collective humanity and culture going to suffer? Are you saing that if private entities are not supported by the government then our culture and humanity cannot survive? That's just silly.

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Hmmmm....if the Arts are not going to suffer, then why is our collective humanity and culture going to suffer? Are you saing that if private entities are not supported by the government then our culture and humanity cannot survive? That's just silly.

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Because traditionally civilized culture collectively cares about the arts....yes, private entities will no doubt take up the slack but that means that whole swathes of American citizens will have nothing in the game at all meaning they are not involved in the arts. As a civilized culture it would be much better for us to collectively pay for the performance of a symphony which could be heard by poor kids, for example, than having a military budget that accounts for 40% of the cost of securing the world....

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So, Serrano didn't get a check that had NEA as the payor, but he did get $$$ from an organization that gets a large part of its funding from the NEA.

This is the same "logic" that allows Planned Parenthood to claim taxpayer money is not used for abortions or political activities.

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EXACTLY!! Preach on, Brother UD, PREACH ON!!

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Because traditionally civilized culture collectively cares about the arts..

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Can't a culture care about the arts without the government subsidizing it? I mean, do all other "civilized" countries subsidize the arts? And, if the public subsidizes the arts, doesn't that say much more than if the arts depend upon governmental support?

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that means that whole swathes of American citizens will have nothing in the game at all meaning they are not involved in the arts.

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The way to be involved witht he arts is by attending the events. (Museums, concerts, etc) NOT by forcibly taking their money and giving it to others. That is not supporting the arts.

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As a civilized culture it would be much better for us to collectively pay for the performance of a symphony which could be heard by poor kids, for example, than having a military budget that accounts for 40% of the cost of securing the world....

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And yet, if our country does not stay secure nobody, rich, poor or in between will have the arts. You cannot force people to support things they do not want.

How would you feel if tax dollars were given to support churches, synagogues, Mosques and Temples? Those are beneficial to society, too.

ETA
FTR, I am against tax dollars being used to build sports stadiums, too.