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...

[Mulder]

Like allowing himself to be blindsided by the Government shutdown? Yeah Newt screwed the pooch badly in a lot of ways.

That was not the disaster the gov't-loving revisionists make it out to be.

On the first day of the shutdown, polls showed that 60% of the people held Republicans accountable for the shutdown, while 40% blamed Clinton. Now keep in mind that many of us though the gov't shutdown was a great thing, and would have answered a poll question in a manner to "blame Republicans". The poll method was inherently biased since it assumed that a gov't shutdown was "bad".

The statist media staged an all-out assault on the GOP. This was before Fox News and the internet, so people only got one side of the story. But even then, Gingrich got the message out with help from talk radio and millions of dedicated supporters.

After 3 weeks, I remember watching Nightline, and they had a poll showing that the country was split 50/50 on who they blamed for the shutdown. Again, keep in mind there were a lot of us who thought the shutdown was good, and "blamed" Republicans for it. So you probably actually had 55%-60% of the people supporting the GOP here. The Clinton folks were fully aware of this as they paid very close attention to the polls.

The next day, the usual RINO suspects like Bob Dole and a few House moderates caved. The result was the end of the Republican Revolution. From that day forward, all Clinton had to do was threaten to shut the gov't down again, and the GOP would roll over and give him what he wanted.

And remember those "radical House Republicans", who were hated by the American people for shutting down their beloved gov't? Guess what? The American people returned them to office in 1996. And in 1998. And in 2000. And in 2002.

By contrast, look how they responded to Dole's sellout.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

This has gots ta be bogus!

Given the track record of this administration, I doubt it.

[COEXERJ145]

You know, it is amazing how people here blow a gasket before anything has even been officially announced. I remember that "reports" said that Bush was going to call for sending billions in social security directly to Mexico, for immediate amnesty for all illegals, and for other perks for Poncho Villa Fox. In the end none of these things happened.

[gatorbait]

The bribe offered to Nick Smith?

You mean the Nick Smith who crawfished all over the place after being called on his allegation? That Nick Smith,the paragon of veracity and principle? ?

[The Old Hoosier]

What, so Bush plans to use terrorism like blackmail, to make conservatives vote for him, regardless of his repeated insults toward us?

Sorry, I won't be threatened by some half-wit Texan. Bush can earn my vote, or lose it. If he does this, he loses it. The USA will survive.

[isom35]

phew!. lets just be glad he's conservative. imagine what he'd do if were liberal....

[Standing Wolf]

Speaking strictly as an artist: government has no business sticking its big ugly nose into the arts.

[yonif]

Look .. I'm not thrilled with this spending .. but it's also been mentioned on this thread that it was the House that increased it .. Not the President Drudge's headline is misleading

Check this out: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1067277/posts

[jgrubbs]

Yup, Newt was our last best hope. I don't know that to do this election, might sit it out.

Don't sit it out, you can vote for Peroutka.

http://www.peroutka2004.com/

[The Old Hoosier]

Nick Smith was consistent throughout. Go back and read the press accounts. An "intermediary" not in Congress--probably Newt Gingrich or Tommy Thompson--offered him major money for his son's campaign in exchange for his vote.

[alnick]

The FY 2003 Budget for the NEA was $115.731 million. That included a $10 million increase that was the "biggest in years". We're probably talking about something like $20 million.

It does turn out to be a $15 to $20 mil increase. I'd be much happier with a decrease. We don't need a National Endowment for the Arts at all.

I love and support this president, wholeheartedly, but I disagree with increasing the NEA.

[yonif]

Bush Is Said to Seek More Money for Arts [$15 million to $20 million for NEA]

New Thread with Article

[B4Ranch]

"And we got ALOT of other things with Clinton and a GOP "Congress then a balanced budget

"And we are paying the price for it now .. It's called Terrorists"

And under Bush we got an Air Force that could not respond to highjacked airliners which flew over five US military bases before hitting the Towers!

[RiflemanSharpe]

If this story is accurate, it's a strategic error on the part of the White House.

Another error. See the shamnesty.

[Mulder]

...meaning all of the politicians?

All except for Patriots like Ron Paul.

Where do you think the electorate stands on the funding for this stuff?

Instead of pontificating about it, let's examine some actual election results.

The last time any party won in a landslide was the Republicans in 1994. And they supported abolishing not only the NEA, but also 4 cabinet departments. They got about 55% of the vote.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Talk about welfare for the rich! N.E.A. Is nothing but funding to allow the rich to indulge their hobbies at the expense of the taxpayers. At least that is what the left will call it now that a republican wants to fund it.

The dirty little secret about the NEA (arts) is that it is a well-spring of patronage jobs for the wives of the power elite (which in this case, sadly, are the Republicans -- the party that used to stand for limited government).

[Ingtar]

If Bush wins, he's got 2005 through early 2007 to do some real stuff. Especially if more Republicans win in the Senate

The problem is that it will take that long to undo what he is doing to reach that point.

[COEXERJ145]

The USA will survive.

I wonder if you'll say that when the U.S. ceases to exist and we are all forced to march under an ugly blue flag?

For all of the things Bush has done I don't agree with, he has done far more important things that I DO agree with.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Sorry, I won't be threatened by some half-wit Texan.

This bit of vitriol is quite revealing. You think he's stupid? Do you really?

Bush can earn my vote, or lose it. If he does this, he loses it. The USA will survive.

I wouldn't be too sure of that.