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Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout

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Lizawithazee
12/09/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
I would much rather my taxes go to this than about 1,000 other things I know they go for that would make me puke if I knew the specifics.
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They Shoot Journalists, Don't They?
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
Americans are mean anti-intellectuals. Well said.

What the hell happened to us?
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Smitros
12/09/08

@They Shoot Journalists, Don't They?:

In all fairness, I know plenty of Americans who aren't mean.
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VoxPopuli
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
Tomorrow morning I'm going to apply for a job as a lottery winner. Wish me luck!
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Sidwell Enemies
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
Literary careers in literature? Why, those are even better than editorial careers in editing! Sign me up!
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Weegee's bored
12/08/08

@EvidenceOfAbsence: I once told my agent that I wanted to write a literary novel and he said "how badly do you want a $500 advance?"
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ohthisoldthing
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
The argument for historical preservation doesn't really hold true in 2008. With everyone and their mother having a blog, facebook, twitter, etc, future historians will have more firsthand accounts of our generation than any other. While it'd be great to give people jobs, this is sort of redundant.
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Weegee's bored
12/08/08

@ohthisoldthing: The job will be to steal it from the bloggers and put it on paper, which correspondingly will create jobs in the timber industry.
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SultanaEleusis
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
The Federal Writers Project and the related Federal Theater Project and Federal Artists Project were some of the greatest government expenses in creating kind of a renaissance in the country. A couple of recent books have brought to mind the political assholes who opposed them and finally shut them down. Nobody remembers them now, except as small-minded villains. But ah, the artists, the writers, the actors and directors: these people shaped American culture for the next generation. Good idea. Bring them back.
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Weegee's bored
12/08/08

@SultanaEleusis: Seconded. It's easy to make fun of but worked wonderfully 70 years ago.
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BitchyMcGee
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
Why on Earth would this government want a record of this period of time that's meticulously recorded and analyzed. For all the future generations to see? Not happening.
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Sproing
12/08/08

@BitchyMcGee: Here's a thought: deputize all the out-of-work investigative journalists as lead investigators for the American Truth and Reconciliation Commission, digging into the deeds and thoughts of the Bush II administration, complete with subpoena power and a tribunal court to assess the revelations. The country needs it.
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BitchyMcGee
12/08/08

@Sproing: Sweet. But a truth and reconciliation commission is for other countries.
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Weegee's bored
12/08/08

@Sproing: The deeds and what?
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VoxPopuli
12/08/08

@BitchyMcGee: Sigh. Exactly. We're immortalized in so-called song as the "We'll put a boot up your ass" country.
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TedSez
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
The sad part? All the writing jobs are gone, and now they want to give us access to productivity-enhancing drugs.

[news.yahoo.com]
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Sproing
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
It doesn't even have to be a pay-to-write program. Bukowski worked for the post office and Harvey Pekar was a VA file clerk. Just give us writers a little bureaucratic misery to draw a paycheck from and we'll spill our heart's blood across the page just to blot it all out.
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VoxPopuli
12/08/08

@Sproing: Yeah, and look how happy they are/were. Bureaucratic misery was the least of their problems.
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Smitros
12/09/08

@Sproing:

Hey, you've been following my life, haven't you?
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TorrentFreak
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
LOL I have a BA in English Lit. and even I know writing as a profession is a great way to eat rice, beans, and tuna sandwiches for the rest of your life. No one cares about literature anymore. Hell, more then half the population is illiterate in my opinion. Unless you can sell it, have sex with it, or kill it people are simply uninterested.
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forwardmotion
12/09/08

@TorrentFreak: You can afford tuna?

Seriously, I am returning to school for a second degree because my English degree has left me in Unstable Employment land. I'm glad you can LOL because I often want to COL (is cry out loud even used? anyway.)
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eatsshootsleaves
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
So now laid-off journalists will be writing for the government? Didn't the Bush administration already do this?

Not that I wouldn't gladly write propaganda for a job right now.
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it takes a lot to laugh
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
Think strategically,you silly writers. Add the following to the program: newspapers and websites will be allowed to print excerpts and related artwork without charge, and publishers will be allowed to sell the books without payment to the governement (chosen on a random or rotating basis, maybe?). As quick as you can say 'free content,' folks like Sam Zell and Nick Denton will be on board and using their considerable lobbying skills to make it happen (remember, politicians love to give things to newspapers, the quid of the quo being endorsements and favorable coverage; cf., NYT building).
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Weegee's bored
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
I suggest a penny tax rebate for every pageview.
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Moff
12/08/08

In reply to Elitist 'Writers' Demand Taxpayer Bailout
I will tell you what: If the government were paying me to write, I would be producing a lot more comments.

Think about it, Obama.
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BullfightsOnAcid
12/08/08

@Moff: If I could get paid to search the internet and make comments then... it would be exactly like it is now. Gotta go the boss is coming.
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