Linda Winer was, like many arts lovers, stunned that George Bush wants to increase the National Endowment for the Arts’ budget by $18 million. “So why, when important segments of the GOP are complaining about Bush’s election-year spending spree, would the president dare to wave millions of NEA dollars at Congress? Sorry, but I cannot keep from fearing that the new elevated visibility of the NEA will put artists right back in the crosshairs…”