I know it sounds fruity and like there’s no tangible benefit, but they said the same thing about the “artsy” projects that were approved in the 30’s… you know, the ones where photographers, musicians, ethnographers and others went into the mountains of Appalachia and documented the people? The same historical records we covet today, none of which would exist if it wasn’t for the deep public investment that was made at a time of financial crisis.

Yet look: the curation and promotion of those documents still provide benefits in education, in culture and in real, live jobs.