US Voter Guide to Arts Positions
Sunday October 12, 2008
Over the past week we've seen trading tickers and Presidential campaign tactics sink to new lows and, I have to be honest with you, both are very distracting. Sort of like a slow-motion train wreck playing in a seven-day loop--you (and here by "you" I totally mean "me") know it's bad to watch, and you know watching is not going to accomplish anything, yet it takes an almost superhuman effort to peel your eyes away. "He said," "She said," "They said," infinity, with ad nauseam commentary from talking heads, many of whom I don't believe capable of feeding my dog let alone telling me what to think. My brain feels like an overstimulated hamster running on its wheel, not knowing or caring why it's running in the first place.
As you yourself may have discovered, such 24/7 drama isn't conducive to writing or speaking English words and arranging them into coherent sentences. So it came as a relief to be jolted back to my senses by a post on MUSEUM-L, a listserv to which I subscribe and recommend to anyone in the museum community. The "$3 million (USD) overhead projector earmark" comment from the Tuesday, October 7, 2008 debate naturally came up on the list, which led to further discussion about the candidates' positions on arts funding in general. This in turn led to a lister posting the enormously helpful link to the Americans for the Arts Action Fund's page entitled ArtsVote2008. In alphabetical order and without further ado:
The Candidates' Positions on the Arts
- Senator John McCain (Republican Party)
- Senator Barack Obama (Democratic Party)
Image credit: Tom Grill/Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
Comments
I agree with Senator McCain, we need to go through every government agency and ask the hard questions, do we really need you and in some cases the answers will be no and in some the answer will be yes, but we can downsize. I say lets start with the agency Endownment for the Arts, I had a friend that worked there as a secretary and the things she spoke about where our tax dollars were just thrown away made my head spin around in anger. One supervisor who had allergies, had the carpeting removed from her office and hard wood floors installed and special equipment to clean the air in her office. Why does one employee get such special treatment when you know that others with the same health issues in any government agency or the private sector do not, why, because she was a political appointee and could pretty much do what she wants. The wealthy in this country fund the arts, their budget out of our tax dollars could feed alot of needy families and provide shelter for the homeless. Capital Hill is outspending what Americans can afford to pay in taxes and there seems to be no end in sight regardless of which party wins this election, it isn’t the President that writes these bills, it’s our congress men and women and our senators and its time to clean both houses!!!
I find Obama’s stance on Visas most interesting.
I am currently studying abroad in Rome at John Cabot University as an art history student, and getting my Visa was incredibly easy. A lot of paperwork, but I was able to mail my application and received it within a few weeks.
I have a German friend who studied at my high school who says that the American embassies treat you like criminals, even when you just want to study. “What are you going to do in the US?” His reply was, of course, “I will be a student.” The response: “But really…what will you be doing in the US?” That was his personal experience (I will not speak for all foreign students, I’m sure the situations are different everywhere) and it did not keep him from studying here in high school, but it did keep him from returning. Much to my own dismay, since I know he was a wonderful and hard-working photography student.
Since when was studying considered something to be suspect of? I think that the US does need to open the doors to more artists, because there is much to be learned from going to other countries as well as learning from foreigners. That experience can be gained nowhere else, I cannot stress that enough.
It is not elitist, and it is something that most students today can do with the help of scholarships, grants, loans, and some hard work (unlike Mrs. Palin would have you believe, and I would like to add that my parents did NOT get my passport for me, especially since it’s not even allowed). I am proof of this, coming from a lower middle class family, and working hard to achieve some sort of international experience because I recognize the importance of moving away from an ethnocentric mindset.
I think the shortness of McCain’s statement also speaks volumes about his plan to action regarding the art community. I commend you, Shelley (if I may call you that), for being so objective in your presentation. However, I have already voted absentee and must say that my decision is only supported by this information. Although McCain’s statement says that he believes the arts are vital, he gives no plan on how to help the artistic community.
I also am pleased with the people listed in Obama’s National Arts Policy Committee, and how careful attention is drawn towards the health and issues concerning artists today. Of course, what would we expect from someone who is a type of artist himself, the author of two books?
If I may reply to Leslie, while Obama may want to increase grants available to the NEA, I know from various debates and statements that he is for heavy regulation wherever money is being spent: something that Republicans are not very keen on, except, it seems, with regards to the arts.
This begs the question: Does that mean they (McCain/Palin) feel the artistic community is something that is expendable when it comes to government funding?
(It may be dangerous to draw this conclusion from such a short statement, but I believe I can from other debates I have seen, and information gleaned from their website based on taxing and funding.)
Coming back to the question: Because it is not. Art is something that makes human experience so wonderful and unique, and the artistic community (with regulation of government funds) has a lot to offer to the citizens of the USA so long as it is not choked to death by budget cuts.
This is one more illustration and example of the McCain/Palin lack of planning, with a concurrent example of well thought-out planning done by Obama/Biden as they have approached the possibility of actually taking the Pres/VP reins.
McCain’s lack of forethought and foresight is incredibly frightening. The utter lack of ethics and responsibility in his campaign underscore that this is not someone I trust to do what is best for the arts community nor for the country as a whole.
Thank you, Shelley, for bringing this part of their platforms to our attention.
Amazing how indicative of the campaigns these statements are. McCain/Palin basically saying they are for the arts, but it’s up to the local government to pay for it. Obama/Biden have a very encouraging plan that covers several points, but don’t say how they will pay for it. I’m behind Obama’s vision and would hope that instead of implementing new taxes he take a serious look at the abuses of goverment spending. There is more than enough money there to fund his plans.