Ohio's senators both voted for the Coburn Amendment

I just sent an email to Senators Brown and Voinovich. Both voted for the Coburn amendment yesterday, acquiescing to Republican demands for cuts in stimulus spending. The GOP won't be happy until we are all uneducated and uncultured louts. They made a long list of projects that shouldn't be funded, including museums and theatres along with other "entertainments" such as casinos. These projects were called "wasteful" and "non-stimulative." I agree that casinos are not essential to our survival as a culture, but grouping arts and non-profit museums into that category is a disgrace:

Here's my email:

I was horrified to learn you voted for the Coburn amendment yesterday. This is the amendment that lumped funding museums and theatre along with casinos into an amendment that cuts funding to such projects.

Make no mistake -- arts and non-profit educational organizations are in just as much danger of failing as banks and automakers. Which is more essential to our human condition -- an art museum or a gas-driven pollution machine?

I do not like the way this so-called stimulus package is taking on the face of congress -- white and male oriented. Are theatres too sissy for funding? Is it okay that the Akron Art museum is cutting back hours and staff because its endowment is shrinking along with the economy?

Theatres are closing across the country. Why won't you support funding opportunities that will keep theatre workers employed?

I hope to read a substantial response from you on your web site or in the media, not just one of your canned email replies.

Contact your senators if you think museums, theatres and other cultural institutions are worthy of stimulus funds.