Bush Is Said to Seek More Money for Arts [$15 million to $20 million for NEA]

New York Times ^ | January 29, 2004 | ROBERT PEAR

[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."

[cynicalman]

I'm starting to think that maybe as a conservative (libertarian-small "l") that I would not mind seeing Kerry win so that in '06 more of the country would finally put some real conservatives in the Congress.

I'm starting to think maybe Kerry should win. The one advantage is, if Kerry wins we dont have to worry about Hillary for eight years. The Clintons will be off the front pages. The silver lining to every black cloud.

And maybe we will elect a Conservative Congress With brass ba@@s to hold down spending.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I want to understand the size of this issue. Let's see, we have a proposed 20 million dollar increase and a population of 290 million people. So, we're talking here about 6.9 cents per person. Of course, that's just per year, so in fairness we have to multiply that by four years for the proposed Bush second term.

It looks like each one of us is looking at 28 cents for the four years. That's something we need to consider when selecting a president. ;-)

Needs bolding. (LOL - you are so good!)

[MJY1288]

28 cents over 4 years is just way too much money to keep the Kennedy Center open, I say close the place down and forget about teaching kids to play musical instruments or teach Ballet, We can watch "American Idol" instead < /sarcasm > off

[KantianBurke]

So let her pay for it! Bush isn't poor. He makes 400 grand a year. How about she hit him up for funds instead of stealing from us tax paying joes? He's the "compassionate" one after all!

[windchime]

"I think we agree on this. No government funding for the arts."

Not exactly.

Optimally, citizens would contribute the financial support for the preservation, creation and dissimination of the elements of 'art'. That's not the way it's set up now, although individual contributions are solicited.

Until changes are made, I think it's an expenditure that is a necessary part of preserving, continuing and teaching the creative aspects of civilization.

[Scenic Sounds]

LOL. I hear ya, I really do. I'm just trying to keep this thing in perspective.

How much do we spend for the NIH? (I think it's over 25 billion dollars.) Why can't we leave medical research to the private sector, too? And how do we justify NASA??

I just think that, in the context of our current system, this 20 million dollar proposal is a poor way for us to pick a president!! ;-)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

He's a leftist.

You know he's a leftist..

Damn. I would expect "One Who Knows" to know what a leftist is. Here's a hint: A leftist would be kissing Kofi Annan's ass right now.

[windchime]

"I believe that Lyn Cheney once headed the NEA and resigned when the NEA became more of a political tool, aimed at degrading the culture than uplifting it. I would like to hear what she has to say about this issue."

I think you're right and I, too, would like to hear what she has to say about it.

[MJY1288]

You win post of the thread.... HANDS DOWN :-)

[KantianBurke]

Does kissing Teddy's ass when it comes to education policy count towards being a leftist?

[OWK]

How much do we spend for the NIH? (I think it's over 25 billion dollars.) Why can't we leave medical research to the private sector, too? And how do we justify NASA??

NIH and NASA have no business existing either.

But at least they don't have the added insult of making people pay for expression they may disagree with.

[Wurlitzer]

"And we all know he owes you a job"

Where the fu#$ did that come from? If you didn't have an adjenda, you would have read further that even after I was without a job I supported the prez.

[OWK]

Damn. I would expect "One Who Knows" to know what a leftist is. Here's a hint: A leftist would be kissing Kofi Annan's ass right now.

Let me give you a hint.

Leftists advocate the redistribution of income in a way percieved more "fair and equitable" by the state.

George Bush qualifies as a world-class leftist.

His military conquests have nothing to do with his leftist advocacies.

Hope this helps.

[windchime]

"The problem resulted when gov't handouts were given without any reservation or critical evaluation."

Bump!

[MissAmericanPie]

It just never stops does it.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Where the fu#$ did that come from? If you didn't have an adjenda, you would have read further that even after I was without a job I supported the prez.

Uh huh. I read that. It's your attitude I was commenting on.

[OWK]

So you think government handouts are good, as long as you approve of the recpient?

Is that what you're bumping?