July/August Soundings

"The leftiest big city on the Left Coast was Clinton country on Monday, with former President Clinton continuing his blockbuster book tour and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton headlining a Democratic fund-raiser where she vowed to defeat the Republicans' 'extraordinarily ruthless machine.'

"Headlining an appearance with other Democratic women senators on behalf of Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is up for re-election this year, Hillary Clinton told several hundred supporters—some of whom had ponied up as much as $10,000 to attend—to expect to lose some of the tax cuts passed by President Bush if Democrats win the White House and control of Congress.

"'Many of you are well enough off that . . . the tax cuts may have helped you,' Sen. Clinton said. 'We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.'" Associated Press, San Francisco, June 28, 2004.

Speaking of taking things away from you on behalf of the common good: How about 65 percent of your property rights? That is the vanguard idea being proposed in King County, Washington, by King County Executive Ron Sims (who is seeking to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary in September): "In rural parts of the county, landowners would be required to leave trees or other native vegetation on at least 65 percent of their land. That requirement, already in effect in Bear Creek, Issaquah Creek, May Creek, East Sammamish and parts of the Soos Creek basin, would be extended countywide.

"Sims also proposes to limit buildings, pavement and other 'impervious surfaces' to 10 percent of a property. The last two proposals have been dubbed '65-10.'

"If King County adopts those rules, it would be among the first jurisdictions in the nation—if not the very first—to go that far in restricting rural development." Seattle Times, June 13, 2004.

"Local boy turned National Endowment for the Arts Chairman, Dana Gioia, made his first official visit to Silicon Valley today, addressing an audience of about one hundred business and arts leaders at Adobe Systems' San Jose campus.

"Mr. Gioia, a California native, Stanford graduate, and former resident of Sonoma County, spoke on the role of the arts in creating a vibrant economy and healthy community. . . . [He] spoke of the uniqueness of Silicon Valley, saying that never had a place this small created so much wealth and so much innovation in such a short period of time. But he was critical of the valley's arts scene. . . . 'You've had an economic renaissance but haven't created the visual legacies of that,' he said. 'Florence at the height of the renaissance was smaller than Palo Alto but look what it left behind.'" Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, June 28, 2004.

Before becoming head of the NEA, Gioia was vice-president of marketing for General Foods, but he seems to have forgotten that it is easier to persuade people to buy a product when it has some value. Renaissance art did; much of today's art does not. Of course, the entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley could change that and use their fortunes to launch a second Renaissance in the arts. They might start by visiting Michael Newberry's site.

Whom Do Americans Trust?

Topic: "I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one-a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little."