Ask a simple question: Why does the government continue to fund an industry where individual artists can make 20 million dollars a year or more?  This question has troubled me for over 30 years.  I have stayed out of the grants for artists end of my business for two reasons. 1. Because I am too busy working as an artist to spend a year applying for grants. 2. The grant money given to artists is really taxpayers money, who pay for arts projects and then are charged a fee to see the art project. 

Why do we not fund Plumbers?  I do not know a plumber, an individual plumber,  who can command the fees of even some of our most inadequate and substandard artists, yet, they are more necessary to the well-being of man-kind than any artist funded by NEA (oops, taxpayer) dollars.

I have spent a lifetime practicing my art in obscurity, by choice, and am more fulfilled then many.  My question is "how can we continue to trust a Government that now uses that taypayer money to improve the fortunes of politicians as well as "politically correct" "artists"?.

I hope you can respond to me with insight and knowledge.  All respectful responses will be posted.

Rowdy Boots