Performance art: Your stimulus money at work

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1-20-13 = NObama Day.

Yes, we know you did it, now please undo it.

BO Stinks
- JCQ, Manchester

When I was 7 or 8, I met the greatest economist in the world. His name was Mick.

Mick had worked as a Carney, and the master of the shell game and associated sleight of hand.

He was amazing, and entralling, and I swear I wanted to master what he had. He'd get me to put my nickles on the table and one by one, based on his legitimate skill, took each one; one by one.

In the Republican early 80s, it was called trickle down economics.

The ballerina, also attending college, will be beautiful and inspirational and those who go will come away feeling better.

Part of her dollar will go to schooling, part to pizza places (or whatever ballerinas eat) and some to whatever else; including $.0005 to paying somebody in government to do his or her vital thing.

You know, you shake it and you shake it, but there's only so much salt. But it is salt while it lasts.
- RP, New Boston

Mozart, what a shame if his job was not saved......cutting the arts is not an answer to budget difficulties...many kids need the arts to express themselves.....maybe we shoudl just cut the school newspapers...no one reads those anymore...go to an online o nly edition.....ohh yeah that might get your interest...
- Scott Hartford, Manchester

Another editorial spun from nothing, designed to confuse and divide. Classic.
- Skip M, Ossipee

Joe,
The New Deal in many ways hurt the economy. WWII is what really changed the economy
- Ryan, Manchester

Hey Jim, so long as the gov't doesn't give the $$ to Haliburton and rest of the war machine(s) to line the pockets of all the Mr. Burn's (-ie-cheney, exxon/mobil, etc) out there who screwed this country over for many years.......I am thrilled!!!
- Ed, Manchester

To all you crying us evil anti-art types let me try to put it into Demspeak for you. Let's say a bailout bank decided to spend 300,000 dollars on things like new paintings for it's corporate office. A piano player for it's executive lounge. You would all be beating down the doors demanding the head of the CEO. Well this is no different. I would love to drop a couple hundred dollars for good tickets to a broadway show but I cannot afford them right now. I could but then I couldn't put gas in my car. It is the same thing. Priorities. Besides can't all the Hollywood liberals drop a little money into the NEA themselves?
- Brian, Wakefield

Ed, Most people don't have a problem w/helping people who really NEED help, disabled, seniors who can't work, etc. It's helping people who are NOT helpless (just lazy and choosing to live off the system) by taking my hard-earned money and my years of pulling myself up out of a poverty-striken childhood to support myself. Redistributing wealth to those who could but REFUSE to help themselves is just plain wrong. And, Ed, who's greed driven and more controlling and dictatorial than the dems currently in power? They don't even bother to pay their taxes; i.e., Rangle, etc. or bother listening to their constituents?
- judy, bradford

PS to Melvin of Keene--Your quote should be on every liberal's family crest: "As long as they don't have to use their own money."

Joyce of Dover says we don't have to choose between working people and the arts. Exactly--as long as you don't have to use your own money. There are never any hard choices. As for your latest "study" that stealing $1 from taxpayers can induce $2 of economic activity--If that were EVER true, then wouldn't we be better off having you steal it all?
- Spike, Brentwood NH

If art is truly in demand, someone will buy it. Great artists did portraits for a lot of money for wealthy people, statues were commissioned, and Mucha did his best work for soap and alcohol companies.

Most "artistes" I've seen are utter hacks who couldn't make it in commercial art, and are too lazy to in the first place.
- Mike R., Bedford

Joe, Derry -
FDR's New Deal didn't bring us out o the Depression, WW2 did.
- frank, Exeter

The arts are a luxury, not a necessity. The Federal Government is taking money that people need to put food on the table and funding pianists. Ridiculous.
- CDR, Lebanon

Hank, Bedford, if this is about prioritizing funding, does Bedford really need its Village Common or the new road to nowhere otherewise called Bell Hill rotary which took out 3/4 of the Bedford Youth Center Peforming Arts driveway or the widening of 101 at Nashua road, that really didn't widen the road at all.
- Mary Mags, Bedford

Obama's art subsidy is nothing more than political pay-back for liberals' votes. James, J Paige, and Ed in Manchester, Mark in Jackson, John in Concord, and Joyce in Dover should be ashamed of their support for political graft.
- Jim, Manchester

And just remember for all of you who are complaining about Obama that FDR did the same thing during the great depression under The New Deal. FDR's New Deal brought us out of the depression and the artwork transpired during this time are now our nation's treasures. It will take time before we will see how everything transpires and in the midst it is hard to see the big picture. Obama did not get us into these problems. Blame should begin by looking at ourselves and how we made bad financial choices in our own homes. Wanting everything bigger, right now mentality, thus the American culture is the problem.
- Joe, Derry

Why is it that R's cringe when money is given for good uses, like helping people, perserving the arts, or anything that might benefit the actual normal middle class citizen? But...when it comes to handing out taxpayer money; for example, to big oil in the forms of tax shelters and other super wealthy greed-driven corp's or individuals....that is OK in the eyes of the R's. I guess I will never (nor would I want to) understand this line of thinking.
- Ed, Manchester

maybe if pervert artists like Maplethorp weren't getting funded I wouldn't have an issue. But when I see tax dollars going towards art that insults my faith and ridicules Christians I do have a problem.
- Dan, Bedford

You hit the nail on the head, UL. It's all about politics. It's not about The People or about the economy. But it hardly comes as any surprise that our liberal, legacy-hunting president is a fervent supporter of the arts. After all, he's wily enough to know that government-sponsored art gives politicians the power to wield influence and control over the arts. When this happens, art becomes propaganda. That FDR censored the arts (mostly theater and literature), and even embarked on a witch-hunt for "red artists," is no secret. Nor is it any secret that special perks and privileges were awarded to artists who portrayed FDR in a favorable light. The inclination to use (and abuse) the arts is a common practice among liberal fascist-types, hellbent on controlling and molding culture and society.

I like Chris' idea--let Obama's rich and rabid Hollywood crowd sponsor the arts, instead of burdening working-class Americans with taxes that fund worthless "anti-stimulus" packages earmarked for pet projects.
- Susie, Horseshoe Bay, TX (NH native)

You think that's wasteful; with abundant cleared land available already in the near vacinity (even some of my own that hubby and I cleared), the feds are right now paying approx. $20,000 to clear some of my abutting neighbor's land so woodcocks will have a nice, comfortable habitat...meanwhile, kids are starving in our town and some of the roads are horrible...go figure! Another sham of our tax dollars being spent recklessly. You think the unemployed really care right now about better Woodcock habitats or a movie in Manch? What's been worth seeing recently at the movies anyway? Unbelievable!
- judy, bradford

To all of you who voted for Obama....here's your hope and change. See you next election.....if you can afford the gas to get there.
- tracy, manchester

Everyday I play my guitar at my house. However, I don't get a government subisdy for doing it, and my house is on the tax rolls where we pay our full assessment. I'm not complaining. I do have a complaint for every government cent that is spend and wasted subsidizing the arts. If an art needs a government subsidy to survive, it wasn't worth saving. And I'm not attacking the arts, rather I'm defending my wallet.
- jack langley, hollis

Does anyone else remember that the news reported that the Obama Administration went to the arts to put together posters to punch up President Obama's popularity and programs, e.g. that the stimulus package created jobs, a new nationalized health care package, etc. The news shared a recorded phone call where the Obama rep tried to delicately state what was being asked may not be legal so everyone had to be careful. Stimulus money was danagled as a carrot. When organized crime does such manipulation, we call it what it is. People start writing your reps--and telling them you are not a sleep-stop allowing corruption of our government. The FBI and CIA must be overwhelmed with the the infractions that are occurring directed by people at high levels in government let alone from outside enemies of this Republic of USA.
- Jan, Londonderry, NH

It's not an either-or proposition: invest in the arts, or invest in working people. Bring back the movies, and the waiters and waitresses will benefit as movie goers round out the evening at local restaurants.

According to a recent study on arts and economic prosperity, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166 billion/per year in economic activity, including $103 billion in event-related spending by audiences on restaurants, parking garages, hotels, and retail stores.
http://www.americansforthearts.org/information_services/research/services/economic_impact/default.asp
- Joyce El Kouarti, Dover, NH

Trust the liberal folks to shoot the messenger without bothering to ponder the message.
This country is broke - we are printing money to keep afloat - we are trying to stimulate the economy and create steady jobs for the average American. Pouring stimulus money into arts and entertainment does not even make the common sense cut - sorry.
- Sandy, Thornton

This aint about being 'anti-arts', so save us the liberal elitist demagoguery. This is about prioritizing funds and putting them where they are most needed in these tough times. The arts will survive, they always do, but prioritizing funding so it is getting the most bang for the buck is paramount right now.
- Hank, Bedford

I often criticize the Union Leader.

I do not think the Union Leader is to blame for there not being a movie theatre in Manchester. The South Willow Street area movie theatre and the Bedford mall movie theatre were not competitive. It is too bad they were not upgraded significantly.

Cinemagic opened in Hooksett.

I hope Cinemagic or another company will consider having a movie theatre on Elm Street and/or at the Mall of New Hampshire.
- Ken Stremsky, Manchester, NH

Business as usual for a Dem president with a Dem majority in Congress. If the Repubs were back at the helm it would be Haliburton and the oil companies receiving government largess. So, UL, you have pointed out that government is wasteful. What is your solution? And please don't say "elect Republicans."
- Pat, Littleton

Ignorance
- Edward Doyle, Manchester

Ah, the arts, so quaint and elitist. As long as they don't have to use their own money artists are above all others. The arts may be nice for our cultured society, but they are not essential. They are an excess we can't afford to fund right now.

Maybe some of the jobs that can be expected to be saved jobs with this arts money are for house keepers, handymen and servants. Other than those menial service jobs, please tell me where long term job creation is coming from with this waste of OUR money.
- Melvin, Keene

Struggling waiters and waitresses need stimulus money too.
- Steve, Pembroke

I agree with John from Concord. 1) we don't even have a movie theater in Manchester! 2) NH is exactly the type of Yankee Magaziny state where support of arts and culture pays off in the long run with tourist revenue 3) I'd like to know how much these artists make than I might complain, but until then I think it's in the communities best interest to support arts and culture.
- J Paige, Manchester

It isn't that all the editorialists are attacking the Arts, only the UL. The UL's influence is so pervasive in Manchester that there isn't a single movie theater in the city.
I won't argue that there is waste in the ARts in NH. Just look at the salaries many of these arts folks are being paid.
But the UL doesn't know art from crime.
- John Norman, Concord

If the arts are so important why do the Feds have to fund struggling artists when they could be supported by Hollywood the many Wall Street millionaires in the country? Both these groups have no problem coming up with huge amounts of money for Democrats every election year.
- Chris, Merrimack

Better than all that money we gave to Halliburton.
- Frank, York Me

Along with stating the unmeasurable as fact--that Obama is "creating or saving" some number of jobs--here, "saving" a job means using freshly printed, fake dollars to fund a job that can't be justified locally, letting state officials cut without having to cut, as they can simply point to a different level of government.

We must use our brains rather than just accept the jive that any spending Obama does is healthy, or even justifies putting our grandchildren in hock to China--or James Chase's tired line that opposing any funding reflects hostility toward the arts.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

If someone has to explain to you why Arts are important, then you wouldn't get it anyway.
Keep up the good humor.
- Mark R-P, Jackson, nh

What is with all the editorials attacking the Arts as of late?
- James Chase, Manchester