I was reflecting on the sorry state of affairs in Congress the other day, about the time I heard Cultural Capital: 50 Years of Investment in U.S. Arts and Humanities, on NPR. The story recounted the establishment of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities in September 1965. Several thoughts tumbled out of me.

First, we’re seeing many 50-year anniversaries in 1965. Some are not so good—the Watts riot, for example—but many are positive. In addition to the afore-mentioned endowments, 1965 saw the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid, and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the Higher Education Act, and the Freedom of Information Act. Just stop for a moment and imagine life without this highly productive