Summary of 2008 Presidential Candidates Arts Positions
October 6th, 2008 at 04:48pm Natalie Shoop
Last Friday ArtsVote2008 released a Summary of 2008 Presidential Candidates Arts Positions. Information about Senator Barack Obama’s comprehensive arts policy proposal that he issued in February 2008 has been on the ArtsVote2008 website, along with those from other former candidates like Governor Huckabee, Governor Richardson, and Senators Clinton and Edwards. Last week Senator McCain issued a short statement on his position on arts education which is now also featured at ArtsVote.org. It was initially reported in an article in the Salt Lake Tribune.
A major part of this Arts Action Fund effort was a policy brief that set out a vision for the future of the arts and arts education at the national level. Listing 10 public policy areas, the Pro-Arts Policy Brief was designed to provide ideas and proposals to the presidential campaigns with the aim that some candidates would draw upon this information as they formed their own arts policy statements. The ArtsVote initiative of Americans for the Arts Action Fund co-hosted events, along with NAMM, at the Democratic and Republican Conventions in Denver and Minneapolis–St. Paul respectively. A panel of national arts leaders presented information to an audience of members of Congress and elected officials in support of making the arts a critical piece of the domestic policy universe—a summary (and links to the video) of these events is also available on ArtVote.org.
Arts Positions of the 2008 Presidential Candidates |
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Sen. Barack Obama
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Sen. John McCain
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| Campaign has met with Americans for the Arts Action Fund to discuss policy issues. |
Yes
Meeting held 4/1/08 |
Yes
Meeting held 4/1/08 |
| Campaign has published policy proposals on the arts and/or arts education. |
Yes
Read policy proposal 2/28/08 |
No |
| Candidate has made statement on federal support of the arts. |
Yes
View Pennsylvania speech on 4/2/08 |
No |
| Candidate has made statement on federal support of arts education. |
Yes
View Texas speech on 2/28/08 |
Yes
Read Statement 10/03/08
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| National party platform includes statement on the arts and/or arts education. |
Yes
Read platform statement on
page 49 |
No |
| Candidate has pro-arts Congressional record. |
Yes
Co-sponsored S. 548, Artist-Museum Partnership Act, 2/25/08 |
No
Voted to cut funding or terminate the National Endowment for the Arts (see listing of votes*) |
* Roll call votes on 7/12/00, 8/5/99, 9/15/98, 9/18/97, 9/17/97, 7/25/94, 9/15/93, 9/15/93, and 9/14/93.
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1. peddlinshutterbug | October 21st, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I’m writing this to share my concern and caution about who we are supporting for President of the United States. Although I am an artist, I’m also realistic. I also know how much it is necessary at times to sacrifice things in my household when money is short. I think you know where I’m going. If I want to take my kids to the park, enjoy the “arts” in the real world, paint, collect materials and invest my TIME and energy to teach them the arts, I can do so. This is how my talent was developed. Also, the private sector can take care of worthy artists. And, unfortunately, some of us will do without! Shocking, but it is a bit like not having enough money coming in for my household, then deciding to go to the symphony!
I can enjoy the arts, promote my art, without government (we, the PEOPLE) giving our money away. our money…. I understand, as an artist, this is a difficult decision, but after reading Obama’s statement, all I read was ‘invest,’ ‘expand,’ ‘recruit,’ etc. Where is all this money going to COME FROM? And we have criticized the spending over the last eight years…. WE have not seen anything, yet.
As for Obama’s idea of ‘creating’ (more spending) a ‘corps of artists’ to teach in schools; I think those are already in existence through our colleges, and they are already called ‘teachers.’
Again, as an artist who struggles with marketing and covering costs. I accept it. I would greatly appreciate more money to promote my art, educate others in the arts, which I DO. But I will not do this at the expense of my neighbors and my children’s future; in the form of higher taxes, ever growing debt and deficits, and an evolution towards Marxist economic practices. Thanks, but no thanks!! Everything has a COST. Call it our “Victory Gardens.” Let’s find another way, no more spending!
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