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.

[Lando Lincoln]

Lando

[texgal]

Bravo!! Bump

[Carry_Okie]

Good post. Even worse is that the grant funded hucksters drive decent art underground. The universities are just as much of a problem in that respect and live off an even larger flood of that same confiscated income.

I differ with Mr. Daniels in one respect: I think a large fraction of the the elites are more than happy to fund trash art for the masses. It helps keep the little people just where they are and helps make sure "popular culture" stays that way.

[American_Centurion]

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.

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

[Delta-Tango]

I thought the point about NEA funding was rather well written. But he destroyed his whole argument with all the whining about his job. It would have gotten an A from me, but that crybaby routine brings it down to a C-

[kenth]

So, he should have planned to have a cushier job for the government to take even more money to fund the NEA, etc.? That would make it all better?

[Lando Lincoln]

FWIW...I think the author was trying to write vicariously as this person in a "dead-end" job.

Lando

[B4Ranch]

The President is merely trying grab as much of the voting population as possible. Wierdos included.

[Enterprise]

Well, it appears, for the sake of argument, that a contrast needed to be made to point out the unfairness of the NEA giveaway, compared to how hard and long he has to work for HIS money. If he had written that he was a well paid executive, driving a company car, and lives in a 5 bedroom gated-community home, would we have sympathy for him then if he complained about the NEA funding? I, like others here, believe President Bush should be a tax cuttin, budget reducing fanatic. And yes, let the NEA fund itself!

[American_Centurion]

Hence I question, how much in taxes do they pay.

I'm sure it is a lot to them, and yes they have every right to disapprove, but being in a "dead end job" will garner no sympathy from those who know that in this country the only ones who can't better themselves are the dead.

So if 1/100th of their $250 paid in taxes actually is used to fund something they disapprove of, why not complain even more loudly about the other 9/100ths? If an article must be written from the perspective of those in a "dead end job" then I say write it about how much they pay in taxes or why they can't invest some of their Payroll tax instead of it going to some rich geezer snowbird in Floriduh.

Instead of waiting until someone proposes more funding to the NEA, why weren't they complaining 10 years ago about just plain abolishing it? I guess it wasn't on the radar then, must be because it's another dart being tossed at Bush.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

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.

It is art that brings beauty to this drab life.

And beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I think that a delicious pizza is a work of art and as such, I savor it's consumption as much as some people enjoy gazing at a Van Gogh.

[Orangedog]

This is yet another expensive bowel-movement that Karl Rove is trying to pass off as an idea. Great, hand the NEA several more million dollars that we don't have. Oh, but they say it's for "real" art this time. Even if that is the case, that will change very quickly once another administration takes over...be it in one year or four. Then they will have even more money to waste the usual crap.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Bad artists deserve a job as much as bad polititians.

Our tax money pays their salaries as well.

[quantim]

As a college student, and Director of Communication for the Foundation for Conservative American Values,

A 'conservative' college student?  Let us rejoice one fell through the cracks of leftist academia.  And is now working his way through life.

 

[Ches]

Yes and sugardaddy will lose alot more votes then he gains. The limp-wristed hangers-on aren't going to vote for him! Elizabeth honey, I'm comin' to see ya.

[American_Centurion]

Or just maybe if he had a better job I would believe that this fictional worker might actually pay taxes. I'm sorry but the loading dock worker and shelf stocker who can barely afford gas, are not the "common man". They are more like the entry-level summer employment/part time teenager or if an actual adult they would fall into the category of LOSER unless they got their job through Melwood.

[Ches]

"I think that a delicious pizza is a work of art"

Can we get our pizza subsidized?

[Ches]

A very large percentage of the population lives paycheck to paycheck and has no savings whatsoever. Another significant portion has been living on credit cards after downsizing or job loss. Please define "common man." The county I live in is $24,000 average annual household income.

[American_Centurion]

Average household income doesn't matter. The real question is do you and most of the people you work with, go to church with, play softball with, etc, have barely enough money to afford gas to drive to your "dead end job". I seriously doubt it, you at least have a computer and a phone line.

[Orangedog]

The county I live in is $24,000 average annual household income.

And the single person making that much money is still contributing more to the tax base than the much vaunted "family of four earning $40,000 or less." They pay zero federal income tax and a good chunk of them get most of their payroll taxes kicked back to them via the (un)Earned Income Tax Credit. Meanwhile the single people and high earners are carrying them.