"“Quit Bitchin’ and Do Something: The only person holding you back from sharing your music with the world is you!” Oh please. If the quest for a livelihood in the arts used to be a turn at the roulette wheel or a flutter at the track, today it’s more like wishing on stars."

Wishing on a star was a good line for Walt Disney! 

I totally agree that it is not just quality of product that counts. Today's mediums for promotion are much different than in the past, where you had to have a sponsorship from a Doges of King (and we all know how rare those were). As mass-media blossomed you needed an agent to align you to a distribution chanel, such as a record label. Now each of us can access YouTube, Vine, etc. to post my latest creative idea, but I need facebook, Instagram, etc. and a network of friends to help promote it.

As for the government, they need to support those that become successful, not try to pick the winners. And the more successful, especially internationally, the more.