Posted by
JayPeriod on Friday, August 03, 2007 11:00:10 AM
As you watch the news, information on the bridge collapse in Minneapolis sickens the heart. How could something like this happen in America? We are the richest country in the world. Our government brings in more money each year than many countries have in total.
One news report stated that it would take about $1.8 billion to bring every bridge in America up to standard. That is a lot of money, but it would be well spent if it could prevent future disasters from happening. We are made to believe, though, that the money just wouldn't be there without raising taxes. I am so tired of this excuse.
We have heard that in my home state of Tennessee for several years. Four years ago, we fought an income tax, even though the state government threatened health care for the indigent and education. Now, four years later, without the income tax, our government had a $400 million surplus for this year alone, and close to $1 billion total. Through all this, health care and education spending increased.
We hear the Democrats harp on tax cuts and the need to increase taxes. Unfortunately, they never consider program cuts. Every year millions of dollars are spent on government programs like the National Endowment for the Arts and National Public Radio and Television, to name a few. Tax increases and defense cuts take a higher importance than cutting these programs. Now, we find that we have thousands of bridges that are deficient, all because we don't want artists to starve if they refuse to work.
Most of us work hard to provide for our families. If we can't make ends meet, we either find a new line of work or work additional hours or jobs. Yet, the NEA is designed so that artists don't have to work. They simply apply for a grant for their "art", and viola, they don't have to work. The excuse is that without this program, art would suffer. To be honest, from some of the art I've seen that YOU and I have funded, we wouldn't miss much. If their art was worth while, it would support itself.
NPR and NPTV are another idea whose time is gone. Started when television and radio were new and needed help to survive, there is now cable and satellite TV and radio. Advertisers pay well for programs that are popular. There is no reason these two dinosaurs couldn't work the same way and get our of our pockets.
On top of it all, much of the time, they produce material that is at odds, or offensive, to many of us. Yet, we are expected to support it.
It is time that our government look at priorities. Which is more important; starving, offensive artists or old, defective bridges? Where would you rather spend your hard earned dollars? We need to let our representatives know, because the last time I checked, we are still a government, of the people, by the people and for the people.