Guns and Bartok

The U.S. Senate is currently controlled by the Republican Party, 55-45. One of the key races in 2000 is who is going to replace a liberal Democrat, Daniel Patrick Moynihan? The Republican candidate is NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the Democratic candidate is Hillary Rodham Clinton. New York is considered as one of the most liberal states In the country, largely because of the huge Democratic vote in New York City. Rudy Giuliani could not have been elected without a large number of Democrats voting for him.

The voters have to decide whether the Democratic Senate seat being vacated is to remain Democratic or be an extra Republican seat? New York City is a truly great city. One of the reasons why is the culture of the city (theatre, museums, architecture, Central Park, Empire State Building, World Trade Towers, Rockefeller Center—including the Tree, Radio City, the Skyline, etc.).

When Mayor Giuliani first became Mayor, he announced that each department head would have to cut his or her budget by 10%. He made this announcement on NY City's cultural landmark radio station WNYC. When a woman listener protested the cut, he said that everybody had to be prepared to accept the 10% cut Shortly thereafter, he announced that he would eliminate WNYC as a municipally owned radio station. Here, he joined ultra conservative Newt Gingrich, as both men believe that government should not finance radio or television stations.

Thus, Giuliani singled out WNYC for a 100% cut, not a 10% cut. Today, WNYC is finding it harder and harder to remain as a public radio station. Giuliani’s action is aligned with the Republican Party's agenda, in the control of men like North Carolina's Jesse Helms, to cut funds to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

If control of the Senate should come to the Democrats, one of the most significant results would be to fund the great public museums more adequately than has been done under Republican control of the House and Senate. The history of the 20th century shows that Republicans controlled the presidency 52%-48%. But in the last 20 years, they have controlled it 60%-40% (12-8). During these 20 years, the Republican Party has become more and more conservative and have had more control of the House and Senate than at any time since FDR was first elected 68 years ago.

During the recent decades, the size of the federal budget has increased dramatically,. Yet, at the same time, the actual dollars for culture has been decreased. The Democratic Party and its candidates must stand on the side of the cultural life of our country. They can start by reversing the tide of reactionary Republicans like Helms and Gingrich. The election of Hillary Rodham Clinton as Senator from New York is a must.