The document discusses the high costs of the Iraq war and proposes that creativity could inspire civic engagement and guide public policy and political action. It argues that artists and cultural workers possess qualities like passion, empathy, and truth-seeking that qualify them for leadership roles. It calls the reader to become a "creativity champion" and get involved in their community through activities like organizing voter registration drives at cultural spaces or running for local office. The goal is to increase the representation of creatives in government and show that creativity is a national value.

1. “ Creatives as Civic Leaders” Tom Tresser – November 15, 2008

2. $804 billion Direct appropriations for the War in Iraq, 2003-2008

3. $3 trillion Total direct and indirect cost of the war

4. $28.5 billion Total costs of the Iraq War to Illinois taxpayers through 2008 You could’ve gotten 496,654 music and art teachers for one year. Or… 437,685 elementary school teachers for one year. Or… 11,895,550 people with health care for one year.

5. $14.9 billion Total costs of the Iraq War to Washington taxpayers through 2008 You could’ve gotten 240,012 music and art teachers for one year. Or… 243,642 elementary school teachers for one year. Or… 2,363,490 people with health care for one year.

6. $700 billion Federal bail out of financial services firms plus whoever else gets in line(American Express, GM, etc…)

7. $150 billion Federal bail out/buy out of insurance and financial services giant AIG.

8. $144.7 million 2008 appropriation for the National Endowment for the Arts.

9. 2:37 minutes Discussing the scientists who invented atomic weapons… The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) was formed in 1945 by atomic scientists from the Manhattan Project who felt that scientists, engineers and other innovators had an ethical obligation to bring their knowledge and experience to bear on critical national decisions, especially pertaining to the technology they unleashed - the Atomic Bomb. Endorsed by 68 Nobel Laureates in chemistry, economics, medicine and physics, FAS addresses a broad spectrum of issues in carrying out its mission to promote humanitarian uses of science and technology. Ivan Oelrich, Ph.D., Vice President for Strategic Security programs at the Federation of American Scientists. Jerome McDonnell Host, Worldview, WBEZ-FM Chicago

10. So what can we do to set things right?

11. I PROPOSE CREATIVITY AS A VALUE THAT CAN INSPIRE AND GUIDE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC POLICY AND POLITICAL ACTION…

12. Frame this… Creativity is a national value Creativity & American Heritage

13. December 16, 1773 The power of theater…

14. The power of words… Thomas Paine – 1737 - 1809

15. The power of words… “ We have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months.”

16. Creativity is our heritage

17. “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. etc. etc.”

18. Tom Crafts reads the Declaration aloud in Boston - July 19, 1776

19. “ The bells rang, the privateers fired the forts and batteries, the cannon were discharged, the platoons followed, and every face appeared joyful…After dinner the King’s Arms were taken down from the State House and every vestige of him from every place in which it appeared, and burnt…Thus ends royal Authority in this State…and all the people shall say Amen.” Abigail Adams letter to John describing Tom Crafts, a house painter, reading of the Declaration of Independence aloud on July 19, 1776 from small balcony in front of the Massachusetts State House, Boston.

20. U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A!

21. The United States was the first nation to be designed into being. We were invented. The establishment of the United States was an audacious act of creativity. We are a creative work. We are a work in progress. "The War was no part of the Revolution...It was only an effect and consequence of it. The Revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected...years before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington." - John Adams, 1815 letter to Thomas Jefferson.

22. The Bill of Rights Ratified on December 15, 1791 The First Amendment 45 words…

23. “ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. “ First Amendment

24. Creativity is our promise 38,000,000 people in U.S. born abroad

25. Creativity is our promise Source: UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs 38,355,000

27. From 1906 to 2008, 295 U.S. citizens have been awarded Nobel Prizes. 76 were foreign-born (including Isidor Rabi). 25% !

29. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM YOUR CIVIC LEADERS? Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan convicted on 18 corruption-related counts Former Chicago City Clerk James Laski convicted for bribery in “trucks for hire” scandal – 44 people convicted

30. Our leaders don’t look much like us… In 2004 there were 7,382 elected state representatives 85% had business backgrounds 7% were educators 1.5% had broadcast backgrounds Guess what % were artists or cultural workers? Zero. Goose egg!

31. Guess what? Creatives are leaders!

32. WHAT DO ARTISTS, CULTURAL WORKERS AND CREATIVITY CHAMPIONS HAVE THAT QUALIFY THEM FOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

36. Empathy

39. Who gets to assign “value”?

42. WHAT DO ARTISTS, CULTURAL WORKERS AND CREATIVITY CHAMPIONS HAVE THAT QUALIFY THEM FOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR? P = Passion O = Out of the frame thinking E = Empathy T = Truth seeking I = Intrinsic value C = Creativity S = Sharing

43. America Needs You! Creativity Champion! Declare yourself a..

44. Take the Pledge “ I hereby declare that I (say your name) as of Saturday, November 15, 2008 am a Creativity Champion and that I will stand up for creativity, innovation, new ideas and an open mind at home, at work and in my community.” Creativity Champion!

47. Creatives Elected to Local Office

48. Guy Padgett, City Councilman Casper, Wyoming

51. Cara Jennings, City Commissioner Lake Worth, Florida

53. Hell no we won't Hell no we won't Hell no we won't Go there with those tired old chants My activism is more like a rant A rant of rage of resistance This system I speak out against. One, two, three, four Boring protest no more five, six, seven, eight Resistance let's activate No justice Here's a piece of my mind No justice A piece of my behind No justice Piece it together you'll find Radical cheerleaders on the frontline

54. Maurice Cox, Mayor Charlottesville, Virginia

55. 2001 Comprehensive Plan

56. In the poor black community of Bayview, hundreds of miles from Charlottesville, Cox helped lead a six-year, $10 million effort to rebuild the village. He organized town meetings and involved residents in every major planning decision, from determining which houses to bulldoze to outlining the project's final scope and character. Today, Bayview is becoming a national model for community-led design. "Maurice gave people a voice," says Bryan Bell, founder of Design Corps, a nonprofit architecture firm that builds affordable housing. "Bayview is a self-determined community of people who [once] lacked self-determination. The signature of this place is theirs." Images from “Design Like You Give A Damn,” Text from Fast Company #83.

58. You heard the talk, Now read the book! Available today for the very democratic price of $10.00! JOIN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF CREATIVITY CHAMPIONS AT WWW.CREATIVITYCHAMPIONS.NING.COM

59. 312-804-3230 [email_address] www.tresser.com