Americans for the Arts Action Fund is pleased to present you with its just
released summary of the Arts Positions of the 2008 Presidential
Candidates. (Also see side-by-side comparison table below.)
As you may know, Americans for the Arts Action Fund launched its
ArtsVote2008 initiative in May 2007 in order to educate presidential
candidates on issues impacting the arts and arts education with the goal
of securing-for the first time ever-formal position statements from the
top candidates.
To date, we have shared with you Senator Barack Obama's comprehensive arts
policy proposal that he began issuing in February 2008. Unfortunately, the
McCain campaign has not been as forthcoming, despite numerous formal
requests from the Arts Action Fund and Senator McCain's own supporters
over the last year. However, we are pleased to report that Senator McCain
has now issued a short statement that he released in an article for
today's Salt Lake City Tribune.
With this information in hand, we ask you-the arts advocate-to take action
by doing the following things:
Share this side-by-side comparison of the presidential candidates with
your friends, family, and colleagues.
Blog about this issue on any sites that you are affiliated with.
Post the comparison chart on your social network sites, such as Facebook,
MySpace, and others.
Send a Letter to the Editor of your local newspapers and journals. We've
made it easy for you by drafting a customizable letter at our E-Advocacy
Center that you can personalize. You will then automatically be given the
choice to e-mail your letter to all the key media outlets in your area
based on your zip code.
Ask questions about policies on the arts and arts education to both your
Congressional and presidential candidates in any kind of town hall forums,
online chats, or any other public forums.
Vote for the candidates that you feel will best advance the arts and arts
education in America.
With only 32 days left to Election Day, now is the time to act and show
your support for the arts!
Arts Positions of the 2008 Presidential Candidates Sen. Barack Obama
Democratic Nominee
Sen. John McCain
Republican Nominee
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
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.
Source: Americans for the Arts Action Fund, as of 10/03/08
Americans for the Arts Action Fund is the bipartisan advocacy arm of
Americans for the Arts, engaging citizens in ensuring that all Americans
have the opportunity to appreciate, value, and participate in the arts.
Arts Action Fund members are citizen activists who are committed to
helping make certain that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at
every level of government and in the private sector. ArtsVote2008, a
program of the Arts Action Fund, was created to secure bold, new policy
proposals in support of the arts and arts education in America from
candidates in the 2008 presidential campaign.
For more info visit www.artsvote.org
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