Posted on 01/28/2004 8:29:35 PM PST by yonif
WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 — President Bush will seek a big increase in the budget of the National Endowment for the Arts, the largest single source of support for the arts in the United States, administration officials said on Wednesday.
The proposal is part of a turnaround for the agency, which was once fighting for its life, attacked by some Republicans as a threat to the nation's moral standards.
Laura Bush plans to announce the request on Thursday, in remarks intended to show the administration's commitment to the arts, aides said.
Administration officials, including White House budget experts, said that Mr. Bush would propose an increase of $15 million to $20 million for the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. That would be the largest rise in two decades and far more than the most recent increases, about $500,000 for 2003 and $5 million for this year.
The agency has a budget of $121 million this year, 31 percent lower than its peak of $176 million in 1992. After Republicans gained control of Congress in 1995, they cut the agency's budget to slightly less than $100 million, and the budget was essentially flat for five years.
In an e-mail message inviting arts advocates to a news briefing with Mrs. Bush, Dana Gioia, the poet who is chairman of the endowment, says, "You will be present for an important day in N.E.A. history."
Mr. Gioia (pronounced JOY-uh) has tried to move beyond the culture wars that swirled around the agency for years. He has nurtured support among influential members of Congress, including conservative Republicans like Representatives Charles H. Taylor and Sue Myrick of North Carolina. He has held workshops around the country to explain how local arts organizations can apply for assistance.
Public support for the arts was hotly debated in the 1990's. Conservatives complained that the agency was financing obscene or sacrilegious works by artists like Robert Mapplethorpe and Andres Serrano. Former Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina, repeatedly tried to eliminate the agency.
Some new money sought by Mr. Bush would expand initiatives with broad bipartisan support, like performances of Shakespeare's plays and "Jazz Masters" concert tours.
Mrs. Bush also plans to introduce a new initiative, "American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius." This would combine art presentations — from painting and literature to music and dance — with education programs. The program would give large numbers of students around the country a chance to see exhibitions and performances.
New York receives a large share of the endowment's grants. But under federal law, the agency also gives priority to projects that cater to "underserved populations," including members of minority groups in urban neighborhoods with high poverty rates.
The president's proposal faces an uncertain future at a time of large budget deficits.
Melissa Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, an advocacy group, said, "We'll be fighting tooth and nail for the increase."
Some conservatives, like Representative Tom Tancredo, Republican of Colorado, vowed to oppose the increase. Even without support from the government, he said, "art would thrive in America."
Representative Louise M. Slaughter, a New York Democrat who is co-chairwoman of the Congressional Arts Caucus, said she was delighted to learn of Mr. Bush's proposal.
"There's nothing in the world that helps economic development more than arts programs," Ms. Slaughter said. "It was foolish for Congress to choke them and starve them. We should cherish the people who can tell us who we are, where we came from and where we hope to go."
Mr. Tancredo expressed dismay. "We are looking at record deficit and potential cuts in all kinds of programs," he said. "How can I tell constituents that I'll take money away from them to pay for somebody else's idea of good art? I have no more right to do that than to finance somebody else's ideas about religion."
The agency has long had support from some Republicans, like Representatives Christopher Shays of Connecticut and Jim Leach of Iowa.
"Government involvement is designed to take the arts from the grand citadel of the privileged and bring them to the public at large," Mr. Leach said. "This democratization of the arts ennobles the American experience."
Like I didn't know, since you are such an expert in knee jerk yammering, IMO.
Okay. I will withhold my resignation from the Republican party.
BTW, that tagline just about made me blow coffee through my nose. ;-)
I saw a bumper sticker with the like "Have you prayed for President Bush today?" and I immediately recognized how appropriate it would be for certain FR factions if I merely changed one word.... ;^)
Actually yes, with a republican congress. Our government seems to do the least amount of damage with divided government because each side kills off the pork of the other.
Conversely, we would probably have spent less the last few years with President Bush and a democrat congress. It doesn't seem to matter the party, when there is total control, the pigs start squealing at the trough.
Please do not engage in further flaming.
Well in your case, if you were truthful your tagline should say, (Have you prayed against President Bush today).
See, two can play your silly little semantic games.
If Bush continues, the answer to that question will be "Yes".
Giving my opinion is not flaming. My opinion is that you are very kneejerk.
Tar and feather me, for stating an opinion.
I expect adult behavior from adults. Guess that's not CONSERVATIVE enough for you.
This place is going down the sewer.
Well if the RINOs had learned their lesson with the 3rd party vote that allowed billious clinton into office, the "stomping of our feet" to the voting booth would have had the desired effect. But they obviously have not learned so yes Miss Marple you have a point however, short of writing our "leaders" which I do frequently or taking up arms how else do get our point across?
I cannot, will not sit back while this country slides further to the left even if it is under control of the Republicans.
I think Prez Bush is a good person but I no longer think he is a good leader unless you like the slide to the left.
Do I have it summed up fairly well on my slow dial up?
No, you need to read the article at the beginning of the thread. This is the President's proposal, not a Congressional one, and it will be announced by the First Lady. Nothing remotely to do with line item vetoes.
I had great hopes for President Bush. I worked tirelessly on the Freeper centerpiece presentation for the Inaugeral Ball in DC on Jan 20, 2001. In it, I portrayed Bush as a Reaganesque champion of Conservatism.
I am very sad. If I pray for anything, it is that G-d touches Bush's heart and leads him back to Conservatism.
Until or if that event happens, I just cannot and will not vote for him. I won't endorse liberalism.
Nah you will just watch it slide even further to the left with a Kerry Presidency.
Like it or not, you are helping Kerry and the dems with such an attitude.
Ah yes, the "management by gridlock" theory. Heard of it, don't really buy it. The problem is that the Republican's current grip on the House and Senate can't and won't last forever. People who choose and vote for a particular Presidential candidate also tend to vote for members of that candidate's party when it comes to Congressional races. The more support a particular candidate gets, the more support his party's nominees tend to get in the down-ticket races. And the more energized a particular candidate's voters become, the more support and money they will throw at their Congressional candidates.
Be careful what you wish (and vote) for - you might just get it.
It is ALSO our responsibility to let the man who will do the best job of running the nation, KNOW when he is jeopardizing his re-election by making decisions that disappoint his biggest supporters.
Incorrect. If I said that in my opinion, you were a petulant slavish RINO cult-member, it would still be a flame, no matter whether or not I included the phrase "in my opinion".
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