Johannes Gebauer wrote:
On 15.01.2007 dhbailey wrote:
Taxes we have no choice on paying (well we actually do have a choice
but most of us don't want to spend time in prison), and we don't all
get equal access to the benefits, whereas directly subsidizing
something through direct payment for it is a personal choice and is a
payment which is not forced on the entire population.
I have never heard of a "Berlin Philharmonic Charge" or something
similar, so I don't understand how the sentence "direct subsidies like
in Europe" could make any sense. The big orchestras in Germany may get a
lot of subsidies compared to the US, but it is still tax, and nothing else.
Johannes
Perhaps John was talking about direct subsidies as in corporate grants
-- major American orchestras and opera companies survive on corporate
grants as well as private donations as well as government grants (both
state and national). But there is still a hefty admission price charged
at the door so nobody looks on a major American orchestra concert in the
concert hall as being free.
When the orchestra (or opera company) gives an open-air performance in
the park where the attendees are not charged an admission fee, everybody
I know of would consider that to be a "free" concert, even though our
non-voluntary tax dollars have helped to underwrite that performance.
And then there is another way of viewing things: the military bands
don't get specific subsidies to exist, they're part of the overall
military budget and the members receive the same military pay as
everybody else at the same pay grade, regardless of their job (musician,
motor pool, telecommunications, whatever). But the non-governmental
orchestras and opera companies get direct subsidies (also drawn from our
tax dollars) in the form of government grants which they have to apply
for on an annual basis (at least in the U.S.).
That might be the distinction John was making.
--
David H. Bailey
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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