Let's privately fund the arts and the parks

Ruth Holladay argues on her blog (along with many in the city of Indianapolis) that Mayor Ballard's decision to cut arts funding (as well as parks) should be reconsidered.

I disagree.

Both of these areas are ripe for private funding.  Perhaps it's time that we ask businesses and philanthropists to consider funding these areas exclusively. 

Consider that Mayor Peterson was able to get local businesses to commit to $25 million for the Superbowl.  Why can't we ask the same for the cities parks and for the arts?

How about the $1 Billion dollars that is likely to be spent on the Presidential election this year?  If Barack Obama can raise $50 million a month, why can't private industry and other individuals choose to fund these areas?  They money is there.

We've become so dependent on the government in this country that we've failed to see that the government doesn't have to be the answer to everything.  I hearken back to De Tocqueville's Democracy in America, in which the Frech author reflects frequently on colonial American's reliance on the local community to find solutions- not government.  He contrasted that with Europe, where the government was seen as the only institution capable of solving problems.

It's unfortunate that we are now where Europe was- completely lost without the government to help us.

Comments

Yeh, that's a good idea, turn the arts and parks over to friends groups, special interest groups, and big business. Let them decide what is "good for us?" More like what is good for their pocketbooks and their interests.

You can't be serious.