Staff Reports
Elon Musk recently caught wind of a compliment that was anything but friendly, served up by none other than David Stockman, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget under Ronald Reagan. Stockman warned Musk that the federal government’s penchant for waste is as resilient as gum on a shoe—no matter how many times they cut the budget, it always comes crawling back. This reminder is especially relevant now that news broke about the demise of a particularly pointless government program: the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Turns out, it may finally be on the chopping block, and it’s about time.
ArtNet News, the fashionista of the art world, reported on the downfall of the IMLS, drawing attention to the catastrophic impact on its faithful staff and the millions in grants it dispensed (or rather, wasted). Employees are now cooling their heels on administrative leave while the future of the IMLS hangs by a thread. What a shame! Conservatives everywhere are left wondering how on Earth this bloated program managed to stick around for so long. With funding cuts initiated under the Trump administration, the handwriting has been on the wall for years, yet this monstrosity has survived like a cockroach in a nuclear fallout.
Useless Government Program to Be Eliminated, Just As It Was to Be in 2017 –
https://t.co/5B2cACXBEi pic.twitter.com/DXwirknO5x— Robert Spencer (@jihadwatchRS) April 3, 2025
To make matters even sweeter, IMLS handlers were awarded a jaw-dropping $266.7 million in grants last year. Yes, taxpayers turned over a staggering amount of hard-earned money to support an agency whose existence was always questionable. They couldn’t even manage to enhance America’s cultural scene while sitting on a mountain of cash. It’s not exactly a shock that “artistic achievement” in America has been limited to banana tapes and taxidermy displays, courtesy of the federal checkbook.
The legacy of IMLS isn’t just a waste of funds; it dilutes the marketplace of ideas and creativity. Why does the government feel it has to oversee the uplifting and soul-stirring matter of art? Hordes of museums and libraries have flourished for centuries without bureaucratic overlords handing out grants like Halloween candy. By relying on taxpayer money, the arts have conveniently dodged accountability and profit-driven innovation.
Critics are howling about the devastating blow to museums and libraries, warning of a “dire” future without these federal handouts. But are these programs truly vital? Or are they just the artsy equivalent of government-funded bingo halls? Conservative Americans see the removal of IMLS funding as a step toward restoring personal responsibility and relinquishing the heavy hand of government from areas that do just fine without it.
The fight against bureaucratic inefficiency isn’t merely nostalgic; it is essential for the future of America. It brings to light the quaint notion that perhaps the private sector or local communities could handle their own artistic and informational enterprises without Uncle Sam’s meddling. If the American public rises to the challenge, it wouldn’t be the Big Bad Government pulling strings—it would be ordinary citizens determining the fate of their museums and libraries, free from federal oversight and mindless waste. Now, if only Musk could take his chainsaw to the other “Swampy” agencies, the country might still stand a chance of getting Federal Programs 101 right.
