Sarah Palin trashes National Endowment for the Arts

Television commentator and half-term Alaska governor Sarah Palin trashed the National Endowment for the Arts recently, describing the agency as "frivolous" in a Thursday interview on a Fox News talk show.

"NPR, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, all those kind of frivolous things that government shouldn't be in the business of funding with tax dollars -- those should all be on the chopping block as we talk about the $14-trillion debt that we're going to hand to our kids and our grandkids," Palin told right-wing host Sean Hannity. "Yes, those are the type of things that for more than one reason need to be cut."

Palin did not elaborate on what the other reasons might be for chopping the NEA budget. But the government of every major civilization in world history has also prominently funded the arts.

The comment about the NEA came during a discussion of the ailing U.S. economy. Palin is certainly conversant with frivolous activity, but her grasp of the economy is weak.

Debt reduction would barely be affected by penciling out the small federal arts agency, which currently operates on a $161-million annual budget. Palin's support of a federal subsidy for the notorious "bridge to nowhere" in her state became a campaign issue when she ran for vice president on the 2008 Republican ticket. That local project carried a price tag of $223 million.

"Reality is we have 15 million Americans who are out of work," said Palin. Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry supports 5.7 million jobs and generates $166.2 billion in annual economic activity, according to Americans for the Arts. The NEA is one linchpin in that sizable economy.

In the interview Palin made no statement advocating similar budget cuts to her home state as she recommended for the NEA, which is also in the cross hairs of Washington's Republican leadership. Palin's Alaska gets $1.84 in federal spending for every dollar its citizens pay in federal taxes.

 

ALSO:

Art review: 'William Leavitt: Theater Objects' at MOCA

Art review: 'Gods of Angkor' at the Getty

Art review: 'Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman' at the San Diego Museum of Art

 

-- Christopher Knight

@twitter.com/KnightLAT

Photo: Sarah Palin. Credit: Justin Lane / EPA

Comments

[Doug Botnick]

She's an idiot.

[Liberty_in_Ma]

If there is one thing you have to love about Sarah Palin, it's the way she can utter a single word and millions of liberal progresive weenies get all tied up in knots trying to think of as many rotten and nasty things to say about her that their warped and emasculated minds can imagine.
Where is all that "civil discourse" that Obama was calling for?
Certainly it is not in the minds and hearts of Democrats. Just read any blog which mentions Palin and watch the Democrat socialist-progressive goon squad come out in force. It's a racist and misogynistic rapefest!

[ClydeHopper]

I agree with Sarah. The National Endowment for the Arts has been involved in child porn (but called it art) and does not deserve public funding (like NPR). "Art" has not been something they prefer for decades. What's interesting is how they become self-legitimizing and begin to think what they do actually is art. They begin to see themselves as "deserving" and as experts. (Just like NPR). SO I agree with Sarah. Cut the federal budget deeply and start with that kind of thing (child porn)... continue with NPR (which is political commentary only). In fact, if it is not postal, infrastructure, defense or education then it ought to be eliminated (or at least justified on an year-to-year basis). The public should not be paying for kids breakfasts and lunches, taxi rides ..etc.

[Mark]

I can't wait for her to run for office again, I VOW that I will switch to a Democrat if the Republican party supports her for anything more than a cocktail waitress.

[Jim C.]

Joseph L Cooke wrote: "Defund it along with the EPA...."

Yes, let's defund the EPA since "God" (the invisible one) will clearly control Man's abuse of nature, as has always been the case.

[Ga;ias Child]

It's terrible to be dimwit in the spotlight but so much worse to be a hostile aggressive dimwit with zero degrees of lovableness.

[Charles Traylor]

Just shut up with your trash mouth yellow journalism already. All I want to hear out of reporters is news. I don't give a crap about your opinions. Regarding Palin, OK, she might not be the brightest kid on the street, but I would rather have someone like her at the helm, who has at least half a heart's worth of conscience and concern for our country than a whole parade full of ivy league alums, whose primary interests are personal power, privilege and an attitude of, "I got mine Charlie. You get yours." Viva Palin, baby.

[Lee Parker]

Palin is top on my list of people I would NEVER vote for. Still, to be fair, I think she has a point. We are so deep in do do with deficit that we need to start somewhere. Art endowment is not a government essential--sad to say. But there are a lot more things including congressional salaries and perks that need to be looked at. Bet they will ever get a glance??

[BILL JOHNSON]

Very sad... Imagine a Palin/Teaparty America with no arts? No music,Drama, Art, Dance or Literary. So much for the "American Culture". Very sad that hatred towards Obama has lead to theses types of commentaries. Wonder what would Reagan (an Artists/Actor himself) would have to say about Palins comments?

[Praetorius Romanov]

....It is unbelievable how profoundly shallow this person is. She is a perfect example of the Peter Principle...A basic grasp of fundamental economic theory is obviously beyond her reach,she spouts what Ms. Mansour spoon- feeds her. She is divisive and vomits inflammatory rote , the inept leading the clueless. Her followers suffer from a complete lack of self-esteem, bunching up at tea party rallies, decked out in patriotic gear,displaying their weapons and howlin' the "...I want my country back..." mantra. Again, the uneducated pitchfork and torch crowd will always be there for her...can you spell Louvre...?

[larry levine]

She is a national disgrace. She says what people want to hear who are ignorant and close minded. If the NEA supported Republicans she would feel differently. She doesn't realize America is supposed to represent all of us, not just bigoted wealthy people who want to pull the wool over the eyes of the uneducated,

[GMan]

There she goes again!... Babbling at the mouth, apparently Todd is not doing his job to keep this woman at home.... This woman needs a real man to keep her from "BABBLING" so much... She hasn't a clue to being a leader of a country let alone quitting her post as Governor!!

[Avanca]

She should clean her gun more often while staring down the barrel.

[Heather West]

Just want to reiterate the reporter's comment "But the government of every major civilization in world history has also prominently funded the arts".

Not to mention the amount of jobs funding the arts would create.

[yeahright]

Wanna know where debt comes from? the 1.1 trillion dollars spent on war since 2001

[Elghee]

Ms. Palin, former Governor of Alaska for a whopping 18 months (most of which she spent running for VP), wants to cut funds to the NEA with the rallying cry of "Americans need jobs". Never mind cutting any funding for anything, especially her heavily subsidized home state, would mean less jobs.

cutting NEA = 5.7 MILLION jobs threatened

I wonder how much she's donated to the relief work in japan? hello?

[please think before you type]

verbalocity-

All notable civilized governments in history have funded the arts (as was mentioned already in this article). The NEA does not create state sponsored art, nor is it indicative of a totalitarian regime as you suggest. To the contrary, it is one of the hallmarks of any great government. Furthermore, consider this for a moment - the artistic/cultural relics of ancient societies are the only things by which we can judge them. In fact, it could easily be argued that 500 years from now, everything EXCEPT our artistic legacy will become frivolous to anyone trying to put together the pieces of our culture. For the NEA and other cultural services to be cut is unthinkable and tragic. It would put struggling artists out of work in an already terrible economy. Also bear in mind that art education (which would be most affected by any cuts to the NEA) is terribly neglected as it is, and is a truly necessary social service. Most importantly, the financial benefit of cutting these programs would be so extraordinarily insignificant that i cannot comprehend the motivation or reasoning. Art elevates and enriches our culture, and the thought of the United States government turning its back on hard working individuals who perform such valuable services is disturbing.

[Zaag]

The only art Ms. Palin is familiar with is Art Modell.

[Lionel]

Pehaps the National Endowment for the Arts should trash Sarah Palin?

[R.Tosh]

A bit of history. The NEA was created as a propaganda tool in the Cold War era to counter communist propaganda that the U.S. was the land of Coca-Cola, and the USSR the country of the Bolshoi. Propaganda was working all too well in Europe, and other parts of the world, hence the NEA. Palin just proves their point. Anyone that knows anything about the arts knows that state sponsorship is as old creativity, and that the U.S. is unusual in its lack of support. I say end tax breaks to business, outlaw economic development by governmental entities, and deal with the inefficiencies in huge agencies (including the Pentagon), and pork barrel politics to backwaters like Alaska.