# Why do Trump and other "conservatives" want to defund opera and other arts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 7, 2017, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963 "2017-04-07T08:32:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/101 "2017-04-07T23:03:39Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > (Hey sonny, sorry the economy is absolutely fucked but me and your Mom got to see a symphony back in 2017 for free!). I’d buy this if the resulting whole budget actually reduced anything rather than redirecting the savings to the military and the wall and then some. “Hey sonny, the economy’s fucked, you never got your field trips to the symphony, but we blew up a lotta cool stuff back then!” ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/102 "2017-04-07T23:07:59Z")
> [@sleestak](#): > > The attitude of “Well, it is just a small percent of the budget! LOOK at all the other more expensive stuff!!?!?!?!?!?!” is an idiotic way to look at the budget. It is the attitude that ensures no program will ever be cut. :dubious: Except that it demonstrably **doesn’t** “ensure no program will ever be cut”. Because programs often **are** cut. If you actually look at actual federal budgets, programs get cut all the time. Including by presidents and Congresscritters who support maintaining some federal funding for the arts. In the past several years, budgets have been passed that cut spending for the arts, the military, education, public health, law enforcement, and a variety of other things. This is one major reason why the federal budget deficit (i.e., the excess of annual spending over annual revenue) decreased so sharply under Obama. This sort of attempt to pump up hysteria for indiscriminate budget-cutting by hyperbolically claiming that **no** programs are **ever** getting cut, and so we must start slashing at random in order to break through our fatal paralysis of inability to cut spending on anything ever, is not a rational approach to the genuine fiscal problems we face. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/103 "2017-04-07T23:14:14Z")
Yes, $150 million is not a big deal. It’s less than half a dollar per citizen. And we’ve already done the studies that show that arts are useful in creating a more intelligent citizenry. It’s a small cost that removing doesn’t help anyone, but that having it can help people. There is no way in hell any Republican gives a shit about having $0.50 taken from them. So bringing up the dumb idea that taxes are theft is not an issue. The problem is simply that Republicans are married to a certain image. Anything that looks wasteful must be eliminated, regardless of its actual value vs. cost. Even a marginal value makes funding the arts a good idea. Even if that value were just slightly higher morale. Remember, they elected Trump, who was literally all image. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/104 "2017-04-07T23:21:53Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Still far more interested in hearing your rational justification for why you believe federal arts funding to be literally unconstitutional, though. Mine is a fairly strict constructionist view of the proper role of the federal government (which I recognize has largely fallen out of popularity today). At a high level, Article 1 Section 8 outlines the powers granted to Congress: > [@](#): > > The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; > > To borrow on the credit of the United States; > > To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; > > To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States; > > To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; > > To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States; > > To establish Post Offices and Post Roads; > > To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries; > > To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court; > > To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations; > > To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; > > To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; > > To provide and maintain a Navy; > > To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces; > > To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; > > To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress; > > To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And > > To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof. Nothing in there appears to me to justify funding the NEA. I realize that some people argue for an expansive view of “general welfare” which would essentially give Congress a blank check to do whatever they want, so long as it was considered good for the “general welfare”, but that’s a viewpoint that I think is at odds with the rest of the document and do not agree with. ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/105 "2017-04-08T00:08:56Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Mine is a fairly strict constructionist view of the proper role of the federal government (which I recognize has largely fallen out of popularity today). Mostly because it’s utterly intellectually bankrupt and indefensible. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/106 "2017-04-08T00:22:54Z")
> [@Beren\_Erchamion](#): > > Mostly because it’s utterly intellectually bankrupt and indefensible. _shrug_ with a couple additional Justices like Gorsuch on the SCOTUS, I suspect things will trend more that direction again. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/107 "2017-04-08T02:04:07Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > There is no way in hell any Republican gives a shit about having $0.50 taken from them. So bringing up the dumb idea that taxes are theft is not an issue. I appreciate your commitment to identifying dumb ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/108 "2017-04-08T02:16:41Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > _shrug_ with a couple additional Justices like Gorsuch on the SCOTUS, I suspect things will trend more that direction again. Yes, when you increase the concentration of morons in positions of power or influence then more moronic things happen. Doesn’t make them any less moronic. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/109 "2017-04-08T03:15:04Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Exactly. Here are just a few [listings of recent NEA grants [corrected url]](https://apps.nea.gov/grantsearch/) in the field of music that are emphatically not just for consumption by rich people: > > The bulk of the NEA’s grant funding goes to thousands and thousands of comparatively small and local projects like these, in dribbles of $5000 here, $15000 there, and so on. This tiny but persistent drip feed of essential financial nutrients is crucial to keeping American community arts and performance alive. > > A lot of people who really enjoy the local bluegrass festival and summer Shakespeare productions, etc., and appreciate opportunities for non-wealthy high school students to perform in bands and orchestras and dance and play festivals, etc., will be very surprised and disappointed if the NEA goes tits-up. (Meanwhile, municipalities will continue soaking their residents for tax revenues to support expensive new stadiums to house professional sports franchises whose owners and players make millions of dollars. Apparently the principle that entertainment enterprises shouldn’t get handouts from the public treasury doesn’t apply to them.) Thank you, **Kimstu**. To your list, let me add just one more example: - Alice Walker came from an extremely impoverished family, but went on to fame with her award-winning novel _The Color Purple._ The tiny NEA grant she received early as a struggling writer may have helped. It probably cost several million dollars to destroy one Syrian hangar yesterday. For those who think the latter is money better spent, I’d ask them to go through **Kimstu** ’s list and identify the 100 programs they’d eliminate to pay for that one destroyed hangar. > [@Kimstu](#): > > … In the past several years, budgets have been passed that cut spending for the arts, the military, education, public health, law enforcement, and a variety of other things. This is one major reason why the federal budget deficit (i.e., the excess of annual spending over annual revenue) decreased so sharply under Obama… Cutting the NEA budget to afford more bombs is as American as apple pie. But Trump isn’t just pruning the NEA budget; he’s slashing it to _ **zero** _ — the NEA will cease to exist. Trump/Bannon/Pence aren’t the first right-wingers to want to abolish NEA — the list of NEA haters reads like a Who’s Who list of the most hateful right-wingers — but he will succeed. It’s a sad day in America. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/110 "2017-04-08T05:06:51Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > That’ll earn you a warning, Ditka. We’ve previously discussed that such terms should be avoided. I apologize for first using the objectionable term in the thread. I regret that **Ditka** was warned for, in effect, quoting me, _I ask that the Warning be rescinded_. I think his use, like mine, was in playful jest. FWIW, at this point I’m happy to wear the objectionable term as a source of pride! “Right-winger,” OTOH, is intended as a nasty pejorative when I use it — perhaps I should be warned when I use that term. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/111 "2017-04-08T07:13:46Z")
Answering another poster, musical-instrument playing in high school classes instills an appreciation for arts, and builds discipline and confidence. Does this qualify as “pedagogic purpose”? Such music curricula will certainly add to a school’s cost, despite that students are generally expected to buy their own instruments. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > [ul] > [li]Music classes: I’m in favor, as with education in any other subject.[/li][li]NSF: Not familiar enough with the NSF, and in particular, what “esoteric” projects they’re funding.[/li][li]Major league sports: opposed. FWIW, the rationale of supporting those subsidies is generally that it promotes economic growth, which is a valid government goal and not the same as funding arts. But I personally tend to be skeptical of the economic growth ROI, so I oppose that too.[/li][/ul] One “esoteric” NSF project I had in mind was LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) which has already cost the taxpayer over $1 billion according to one Googled source. This almost dwarfs NEA funding. ([Here’s a 9-minute video describing the first detection of gravity waves.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iphcyNWFD10) It’s fun to watch, comparing the staggering scale of the detected event with the difficulty of measuring its feeble effect after 1.3 billion years and as many light-years.) I suspect the Board’s physicists will agree that we cannot hope to weaponize gravity waves any time soon. LIGO will now try to collect other data on black holes but I’m not sure how useful the new information will be if the Klingons (or Syria? North Korea?) hurls a black hole at us. The technologies achieved building LIGO may have value, but that could have been done in isolation, without trying to detect gravity waves.) To be clear: _I do support the government funding of such science projects._ However I find the right-wing opposition to NEA, but acceptance of LIGO, to be wrong-headed and hypocritical. In advancing the goal of world peace, I expect the funding of NEA — with the possibility of advancing, via art, globally shared humanitarian values — to be much more effective dollar-for-dollar than LIGO. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/112 "2017-04-08T11:13:01Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Alice Walker came from an extremely impoverished family, but went on to fame with her award-winning novel _The Color Purple._ The tiny NEA grant she received early as a struggling writer may have helped. Even if I were sanguine with the general idea of federal funding of art, a problem I have with the NEA is that the bulk of their support seems to be directed at certain types of art, expressions that are palatable to the panels. These panels tend to ignore more traditional forms of art – what was the last NEA grant of significance that was awarded to an oil painter of land- or seascapes, in the early Winslow Homer style? These appear to be dismissed as old school now. In fact, how about watercolors, _a la_ later Winslow Homer? When was the last watercolorist award from NEA, period? Why should the government hold the spending whip hand to steer funded art away from watercolors? I’m not a closet watercolorist. (Although in full disclosure, I do think “Blackboard” is a stunning example of the flexibility of the medium, perhaps the best ever of its time, and shows a use of lighting that Vermeer himself would have admired). I’m speaking more generally: NEA funding introduces a false market signal; it rewards art of a certain favored type. I don’t like that outcome. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/113 "2017-04-08T11:30:07Z")
And when’s the last time they funded a finger painting, hand turkey or modeling clay snowman? The bias couldn’t be any plainer if they spelled it out with stick-on letters on a piece of posterboard and sprinkled it with Elmer’s glue and metallic glitter. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/114 "2017-04-08T11:38:10Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Even if I were sanguine with the general idea of federal funding of art, a problem I have with the NEA is that the bulk of their support seems to be directed at certain types of art, expressions that are palatable to the panels. These panels tend to ignore more traditional forms of art – what was the last NEA grant of significance that was awarded to an oil painter of land- or seascapes, in the early Winslow Homer style? These appear to be dismissed as old school now. In fact, how about watercolors, _a la_ later Winslow Homer? When was the last watercolorist award from NEA, period? > > Why should the government hold the spending whip hand to steer funded art away from watercolors? > > I’m not a closet watercolorist. (Although in full disclosure, I do think “Blackboard” is a stunning example of the flexibility of the medium, perhaps the best ever of its time, and shows a use of lighting that Vermeer himself would have admired). I’m speaking more generally: NEA funding introduces a false market signal; it rewards art of a certain favored type. I don’t like that outcome. I tend to get suspicious when I see phrases like “seems to be directed at certain types of art, expressions that are palatable to the panels”. Cite that NEA funding behaves in such a way? Or are you letting your assumptions and biases influence you? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/115 "2017-04-08T12:02:55Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > NO! I strongly disagree with this! It is, in fact, my principle objection to NEA funding (and a whole host of other federal programs), and there are lots of “Constitutional conservatives” that feel the same way. There are certain things that the Constitution authorizes the federal government to do. “Funding art” isn’t on the list. I wouldn’t object to California taxing Californians to fund a California Endowment for the Arts, but I do object the feds doing it at a national level because I believe it’s “unconstitutional”. > > Poking libtards in the eye is just an ancillary benefit. The warning for this post is rescinded. HD was semi-quoting earlier usage of the term - which was not reported - and we decided to forgo sanctions here. I will say, however, that the use of -tard and variants is definitely not best practice and can result in warnings and other sanctions in future due to context. It would be best if it’s a usage retired from Great Debates and Elections moving forward. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/116 "2017-04-08T12:24:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Even if I were sanguine with the general idea of federal funding of art, a problem I have with the NEA is that the bulk of their support seems to be directed at certain types of art, expressions that are palatable to the panels. These panels tend to ignore more traditional forms of art 😕 The fuck you talking about? I just posted a list of NEA music grants that included heaps of awards to orchestras etc. for classical music performance and training: can you get more “traditional forms of art” than that? If you do a similar search on recent NEA grants in the “Visual Arts” category you come up with a boatload of grants for traditional forms of art including sculpture, printmaking, etc. [QUOTE=Bricker] what was the last NEA grant of significance that was awarded to an oil painter of land- or seascapes, in the early Winslow Homer style? [/quote] 😕 Are there oil painters of land- or seascapes in the early Winslow Homer style **applying** for NEA grants? The NEA doesn’t just show up in a randomly selected artist’s studio to hand out unexpected prizes like Cinderella’s fairy godmother, you know. There are tons of musicians practicing “traditional forms” of music such as Classical and Baroque, and they get tons of NEA grants. If you can point us to a painter in “traditional forms” such as Homer-style oils who is being unfairly **rejected** for the NEA grants that he/she is seeking, then you might have some kind of valid criticism. But at present you just seem to be sulking that the NEA isn’t magically **making** painters practice your preferred style of art which is currently unfashionable among painters themselves. [QUOTE=Bricker] NEA funding introduces a false market signal; it rewards art of a certain favored type. [/QUOTE] Cite, please, for the assertion that NEA is awarding funding to any allegedly “favored” form of art disproportionately to the degree to which NEA funding **is actually sought by artists**? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/117 "2017-04-08T12:47:24Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > The warning for this post is rescinded. HD was semi-quoting earlier usage of the term - which was not reported - and we decided to forgo sanctions here. You’re not done rescinding yet, **Jonathan**. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/118 "2017-04-08T12:51:25Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > And when’s the last time they funded a finger painting, … Pretty sure Karen Finley used fingers. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/119 "2017-04-08T14:07:37Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > 😕 The fuck you talking about? I just posted a list of NEA music grants that included heaps of awards to orchestras etc. for classical music performance and training: can you get more “traditional forms of art” than that? > > If you do a similar search on recent NEA grants in the “Visual Arts” category you come up with a boatload of grants for traditional forms of art including sculpture, printmaking, etc… > …But at present you just seem to be sulking that the NEA isn’t magically **making** painters practice your preferred style of art which is currently unfashionable among painters themselves. > > Cite, please, for the assertion that NEA is awarding funding to any allegedly “favored” form of art disproportionately to the degree to which NEA funding **is actually sought by artists**? I’m not authorized to speak for **Bricker** , but I suspect that detailing or demonstrating any particular bias is completely irrelevant to his main argument. The NEA will fund some applicants and deny others. Whatever choices it makes reflect some “bias” by definition. If it seems to prefer “traditional” art we could complain it’s not more experimental. And vice versa. Conservatives prefer the magical powers of the Free Market to operate. If, for example, Black-oriented art is not thriving because Blacks lack money to purchase it, that’s the wondrous Free Market in action! Blacks need to first acquire wealth so they can fund their own art. The NEA, OTOH, much as Soviet-era central planners did, forces museums to house undesired art, or at least, art undesired by the rich. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963/120 "2017-04-08T14:56:41Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I’m not authorized to speak for **Bricker** , but I suspect that detailing or demonstrating any particular bias is completely irrelevant to his main argument. > > The NEA will fund some applicants and deny others. Whatever choices it makes reflect some “bias” by definition. +1 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-trump-and-other-conservatives-want-to-defund-opera-and-other-arts/783963.md?page=7)