The Invisible Paintbrush

Regarding the arts funding post from yesterday, Dave writes in with some additional thoughts:

Couple of things about the Clean Water scam -

First, we didn't even get 44 percent to vote no. 5 percent left the question blank, which counts as a no vote but means it just wasn't important enough for joe voter to care.

Second, it's interesting how the 'arts' have been tack-on funding for every blue collar issue in the last few years. Want a new stadium? Throw in some money for the Guthrie. Want a state run casino? Dedicate some of the proceeds to the arts. Want dedicated funding for the outdoors? Give some money to the MN Orchestra.

And last, you're missing the point when you ask if there are any 'good' composers out there. Good musicians can get a job. It's the bad ones that need government subsidies.

Good points all. Especially about the persistance of arts funding getting tacked on to unrelated, and more popular, government expenditures. As a special interest group in Minnesota, the arts lobby seems to have more politicians in its back pocket than any other group, save perhaps for the teacher's union.

Who are these politicians primarily responsible for this irresponsible spending getting slipped by the voters so often? Anyone with some legislative expertise/inside knowledge know? Save me some research time, email me with the info.