A Brooklyn Assemblyman's Earmarks Are Political Surrealism  A
local pol gets singed for his attempt at pork for Aesthetic
Realism  For a politician, sponsoring a pork-barrel item to fund
seniors' classes should be a simple, feel-good, voter-friendly
action, as easy as shaking a hand or kissing a baby. What could
go wrong?  Brooklyn assemblyman Felix Ortiz is finding out. He
sponsored a $4,000 earmark in the state budget for a Soho
nonprofit called the Aesthetic Realism Foundation, which has the
incredibly bland-sounding goal of assisting "people throughout
America and the world to see each other and reality fairly."
The Aesthetic Realism Foundation was founded by poet Eli Siegel
in 1941 to educate the public about his philosophy, which
includes such radical ideas as that "all beauty is a making one
of opposites" and that humankind's "largest desire is to like
the world on an honest or accurate basis." Today, the
organization promotes his philosophy through dramatic
presentations and classes on art, poetry, m