Comments on: Artists Urge Obama to Name a Secretary of Culture http://www.ustvmedia.org/politics-in-america/2009/01/14/artists-urge-obama-to-name-a-secretary-of-culture/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:29:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0 by: Natalie http://www.ustvmedia.org/politics-in-america/2009/01/14/artists-urge-obama-to-name-a-secretary-of-culture/#comment-34688 Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:23:16 +0000 http://www.ustvmedia.org/politics-in-america/2009/01/14/artists-urge-obama-to-name-a-secretary-of-culture/#comment-34688 I agree with what DM said. If you look at countries like France for instance where there are language policy organizations in government. They have the power to say what is and isn't proper language. As language is an expression of culture, the government thus also has some control in defining culture. I think it has less to do with funding and more to do with the fact that defining culture is probably the first step toward stunting its creative growth. I agree with what DM said. If you look at countries like France for instance where there are language policy organizations in government. They have the power to say what is and isn’t proper language. As language is an expression of culture, the government thus also has some control in defining culture.

I think it has less to do with funding and more to do with the fact that defining culture is probably the first step toward stunting its creative growth.

]]> by: dm http://www.ustvmedia.org/politics-in-america/2009/01/14/artists-urge-obama-to-name-a-secretary-of-culture/#comment-34599 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:53:53 +0000 http://www.ustvmedia.org/politics-in-america/2009/01/14/artists-urge-obama-to-name-a-secretary-of-culture/#comment-34599 This is a bad idea, in my opinion. The government needs to be focusing on First Principles. With deficits projected to run into the trillions, I think it would be an example of extremely bad stewardship for the government to borrow even more money it doesn't have to fund these kinds of programs. Focus on fixing the core problems, and when we've done that *then* divert resources to side programs. Furthermore, this line of thinking puts government in the driver seat to decide what culture "is" by the programs it funds. Does that also mean that government also has the power to decide what culture is NOT? Whenever funding is involved, it does. Government's track record is so poor, and its performance so inefficient and without accountability (one only needs to try to find data on the whereabouts of bailout dollars to confirm this), that a Department of Culture would be one more drain down which taxpayers dollars flow freely. This is a bad idea, in my opinion.

The government needs to be focusing on First Principles. With deficits projected to run into the trillions, I think it would be an example of extremely bad stewardship for the government to borrow even more money it doesn’t have to fund these kinds of programs. Focus on fixing the core problems, and when we’ve done that *then* divert resources to side programs.

Furthermore, this line of thinking puts government in the driver seat to decide what culture “is” by the programs it funds. Does that also mean that government also has the power to decide what culture is NOT? Whenever funding is involved, it does.

Government’s track record is so poor, and its performance so inefficient and without accountability (one only needs to try to find data on the whereabouts of bailout dollars to confirm this), that a Department of Culture would be one more drain down which taxpayers dollars flow freely.

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