George Will: Did the White House Initiate the NEA ‘Propaganda’ Call?
by Big HollywoodGeorge Will in today’s Washington Post:
“Did the White House initiate the conference call-cum-political pep rally? Or, even worse, did the NEA, an independent agency, spontaneously politicize itself? Something that reads awfully like an invitation went from Sergant’s NEA e-mail address to a cohort of “artists, producers, promoters, organizers, influencers, marketers, tastemakers, leaders or just plain cool people.” …
“The NEA is the nation’s largest single source of financial support for the arts, and its grants often prompt supplemental private donations. He who pays the piper does indeed call the tune, and in the four months before the conference call, 16 of the participating organizations received a total of nearly $2 million from the NEA. Two days after the call, the 16 and five other organizations issued a plea for the president’s health-care plan. …
“[T]he Obama administration is tightening the cinch on subsidized artists, conscripting them into the crusade to further politicize the 17 percent of the economy that is health care.
“Time was, artists were proudly adversarial regarding authority, the established order, etc. “Epater le bourgeois!” and all that. Now they are just another servile interest group seeking morsels from the federal banquet. Are they real artists? Sure, because in this egalitarian era, government reasons circularly: Art is whatever an artist says it is, and an artist is whoever produces art. So, being an artist is a self-validating vocation.”
You can read the piece in full here.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
38 Comments
Of course the irony here is that for most artists getting NEA grants, no pep-talk would ever be needed to push the Obama line — it's as natural to them as breathing. So if the White House gets in trouble over this, it's due to their own anal-retentive fanaticism that makes them want to have precise control of every musical note, written word and paint stroke of their arts community supporters so they all focus on a single goal, in the same way liberal pundits can be counted on to regurgitate the White House's e-mailed talking points in their next column or TV appearance.
He who holds the wallet pulls the strings. "scratch my back I scratch yours".
"Obama Announces Creation of Royal Arts Patronage Program" http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/08/obama-announc...
I suppose it goes beyond optimistic to hope that we could one day defund the NEA as is currently happening with ACORN.
I am sure they are moving now to cleanse any records of the WH involvement.
"… and just plain cool people."
The children are in charge.
Once again…Shut down N.E.A., fire everyone that works there, remove the furniture, fumigate the building, rent out the building and never revive this politically partisan joke that attacks at least half of the taxpayers of this country with
the GARBAGE they call "ART"…
"U.S GOVERNMENT OUT OF "THE ARTS NOW!"
"KEEP YOUR GOVERMENT OUT MY ART'S UTERUS!"
Once again…Shut down N.E.A., fire everyone that works there, remove the furniture, fumigate the building, rent out the building and never revive this politically partisan joke that attacks at least half of the taxpayers of this country with
the GARBAGE they call "ART"…
"U.S GOVERNMENT OUT OF "THE ARTS NOW!"
"KEEP YOUR GOVERMENT OUT MY ART'S UTERUS!"
"SEPARTATION OF GOVERNMENT AND ART"
More often than not, subsidized art will be less than profound, will exhibit a distinct lack of individuality, and uniformly fall short of true excellence. People ultimately will look at it, listen to it and then dismiss it because they know where it's coming from. And where it's coming from (i.e. "artiists" loyal to this administration), is a place a lot of the general population doesn't care to go. They don't have the time either because they're scrambling to keep their families financially sound. Art, whether government supported or not won't be at the top of their priority list. Which makes our efforts that much harder, especially because we're trying to work honestly. We'll get "lumped in" with those we'd rather avoid. Sigh. Still, we will fight on…..
Oh, they aren't children. They're Chicago street thug politicians. Nothing is off limits in the quest to obtain and retain power. Children are spontaneous. Every single breath of air they take is coldly calculated to wring the most power out of it.
If we were dealing with children, we'd be in a much better position.
The entire US Government needs to be audited by an independent third party organization.
Any part of the government that is claimed to be "too large" to be audited needs to be broken down into smaller organizations that can be audited.
Top to bottom.. Military, all branched of government. all departments.
How could anyone be surprised? The art community has always been liberal, so they are only anti-establishment when it's convenient for their weak morals, and they can project themselves as rebels and rogues against tyranny. Enter a socialist administration, and now it's time to unite with the bourgeoisie and force "hope" and "change" down the throats of the proletariat. I suppose it's all part of their continual reinvention of themselves. Too bad they don't have real jobs.
We're dealing with 15-year-olds: emotional children but capable of rational action. According to studies the ideal age for sociopathy.
Burgess didn't make Alec in A Clockwork Orange 15 by accident.
I have said for years that any artist who takes government subsidies is foolish. Artists are the conscience of any society and artists are the first group that Governments go after when they want to assert control. And if they can't control them, they try and silence them. Journalists are the second group they try to control or silence. It looks like our present administration is working on controlling both fronts. Well, at least they are being really transparent about it. We know that the MSM are being played like a fine violin. Let's see if the American artistic community as a whole is as weak and soft as I have unfortunately always believed it to be.
Good idea, but who would be that independent third party? Who or what is that incorruptable to be that independent?
Good idea, but who would be that independent third party? Who or what is that incorruptible to be that independent?
Well then, I now have a tighter focus on my life: My ambition is to be the most un-cool artist in America.
As long as we've got ACORN in the headlights, shining the light on the NEA will help to reveal the astroturf, Soros-funded basis of the Left's "grass roots."
If it wasn't the captive purview of progressive weenies for rewarding their own favored parrots, Andrew Breitbart should be given a Pulitzer for both exposes. Maybe a Presidential Medal of Freedom? Have to wait 'til 2013 for that…
This story infuriates me to no end. Ears and his cult of personality is better suited for Argentina…last millennium.
What Ears can do is bully. Period.
His 'governing style' is to brainwash and threaten.
Once ACORN officially goes under the OBAMA, you will get a lot of information.
The NEA is an institutionized nest of loons and moonbats, with a history of waste and silly spending. The two things stands in the way of any investigation is the most sacred of sacred cows – PBS and NPR. If they're any good let them find a commercial audience.
An aside… I am so proud of Andrew & Co at biggovernment. In two short weeks, it is still possible to affect change, so much so, I thought I saw Olbermann's head spinning, vis-a-vis Regan in the exorcist. What good fun! He's barking like a bulldog. It's working. Kudos guys.
I just read the comments posted at Washington Post on this story. Nice to see that the readers maintaining their consistant anti Will (and anti-republican, pro-acorn) stance. It must be something in the water in Washington
Anyway, I read somewhere (might have been here) that the White House representative on the call was Kal Penn (actor from TV's House and a couple of movies) although I gather he used his real name and not his stage name, please correct me (gently though) if I'm wrong. Wouldn't it be great for Fox or some other news outlet (small chance but you never know) ambush interview him to find out who ordered him to go to the meeting and what were the circumstances involved. Hey, if he's flustered enough he might give a direct answer. It would give him such a nice baptism into the Washington Olympics.
It's nice to read George Will, the master. Live long, buddy, you're going to have a lot to write about.
one down – acorn
many more to go – npr, pbs, nea, vista
If you read this column at the Post, you'll notice the hysterical (both in terms the funny definition and the spastic one) comments at the bottom. As you'd expect, "artists" come out of the woodwork to attack George about this column. Not surprisingly, the criticism are pretty much ad hominem attacks and misquoting facts. The one thing I don't miss about talking with Liberals is the fact that they constantly agree with each other, even if what they're saying has no basis in fact. When you try to talk rationally to them, it's like trying to read lips in a Saturday morning kung-fu movie.
Fair question. We used to have honorable men in this country. Where have they all gone?
Well, there are a lot of those men (and women) posting on this site. Surely there are others as well.
I meant public figures.
And therein lies the problem, honorable people stay away from politics like ministers stay away from brothels. It does not matter what good you intend to do, once you go inside there will always be doubts.
The people of the United States will be unraveling the subterfuge and intrigue surrounding this criminal conspiracy a.k.a.
……the Obama Administration for YEARS…getting information from these guys will harder than getting info from the Politburo
There is that law about preserving all WH correspondence and communications, that one that will make them keep any flag@whitehouse.gov stuff indefinitely.
Of course, what's one more law at this point…
Actually the MSM is being played like the cheap ukelele they are. Indeed they are positively BEGGING – Please play me! (You know, existential angst and all…)
as a working designer, I find "fine artist" and the typical self important "artist" (IE anyone that would take a NEA grant) as tiresome at best.
[...] House Using NEA to Push Partisan Agenda | 2. Full NEA Conference Call Transcript and Audio | 3. George Will: Did the White House Initiate the NEA ‘Propaganda’ Call? | 4. George Will: NEA Call for ‘Recovery Agenda’ Art Likely Broke Some [...]
Websites we think you should visit…
[...]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go through, so have a look[...]……
Recommeneded websites…
[...]Here are some of the sites we recommend for our visitors[...]……
Potato And Leek Soup It’s a hot disgrace you don’t a pay money ! I’d definitely stretch money for this rattling webpage! That i suppose for the case beingness i’ll be mitigated bookmarking together with including an individual’s Supply that faculty m…
It’s a hot disgrace you don’t a pay money ! I’d definitely stretch money for this rattling webpage! That i suppose for the case beingness i’ll be mitigated bookmarking together with including an individual’s Supply that faculty my best Msn arrangement….
liberty reserve I got what you impart, thanks for up. Woh I am pleased to reason this website through google….
I got what you impart, thanks for up. Woh I am pleased to reason this website through google….
You must be logged in to post a comment.