Presidential candidate John McCain has released his long-awaited arts policy statement, but it’s not very long. Requested at the beginning of the campaign by the Americans for the Arts Action Fund, McCain’s blurb is four sentences: "John McCain believes that arts education can play a vital role fostering creativity and expression. He is a strong believer in empowering local school districts to establish priorities based on the needs of local schools and school districts. Schools receiving federal funds for education must be held accountable for providing a quality education in basic subjects critical to ensuring students are prepared to compete and succeed in the global economy. Where these local priorities allow, he believes investing in arts education can play a role in nurturing the creativity of expression so vital to the health of our cultural life and providing a means of creative expression for young people." That’s it!