This week's tempest in the teapot...
This is one of the places (and there are more than a few) where most conservatives and I part company, in that I support federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). First and foremost, the amount of federal money going to PBS and NPR is a drop in the bucket at $450 million. Second, a lot of rural PBS stations would go under if not for the subsidy. From DecaturDaily.com:
The thing that pisses me off about this issue is the fact the Left is portraying it as yet another case of Romney's "heartlessness." Bullshit. Romney CAN'T eliminate the subsidy, to begin with... the federal budget is totally within Congress's purview until such time as the president gets a line-item veto. But Lefties will be Lefties and they WILL lie, distort, and misrepresent anything to gain advantage.
That said... Leave Big Bird alone, Mitt, and stay on Obama's ass. We'll all be better off.
This is one of the places (and there are more than a few) where most conservatives and I part company, in that I support federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). First and foremost, the amount of federal money going to PBS and NPR is a drop in the bucket at $450 million. Second, a lot of rural PBS stations would go under if not for the subsidy. From DecaturDaily.com:
Federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting totals $450 million this year, accounting for about 15 percent of the CPB's budget, she said. Federal money supplements the budgets of PBS' 179 stations nationally. For some of the smaller stations in rural areas, this subsidy accounts for more than half of their yearly budget, so many can't operate without it.I live in one of those rural areas and I'm a BIG fan of PBS... losing our PBS station would hurt our community badly. Would anyone die? No. Would our quality of life be diminished? Most certainly. I'm pretty sure Congress could find other, fatter targets for budget cuts than the CPB. They could begin with the $1.5 BILLION the Feds give Amtrak every year, or work to end the estimated $60 BILLION a year in Medicare fraud... just two of many larger boondoggles.
The thing that pisses me off about this issue is the fact the Left is portraying it as yet another case of Romney's "heartlessness." Bullshit. Romney CAN'T eliminate the subsidy, to begin with... the federal budget is totally within Congress's purview until such time as the president gets a line-item veto. But Lefties will be Lefties and they WILL lie, distort, and misrepresent anything to gain advantage.
That said... Leave Big Bird alone, Mitt, and stay on Obama's ass. We'll all be better off.
I'm with you re: CPB and NPR. I listen almost exclusively to NPR. There's a local that plays contemporary music and does the news. Even their fundraisers are low key. As for PBS, even the local commercial TV station supports the local PBS outlet, which has a lion's share of the best programming.
ReplyDeleteMy local NPR station isn't the best in the country... they tend to play elevator music and are pretty light on the news programs. I do listen to NPR in the car, however, since Sirius/XM has a great nationwide feed. That said... our local PBS station is quite good but I don't receive it any longer since I switched to satellite teevee. I now get the PBS outlet in Amarillo, which is one of the things I absolutely HATE about satellite teevee... mainly coz I used to get the Portales PBS outlet in HD on cable, now I get lo-def on sat. I know... "bitch, bitch, bitch..." ;-)
DeleteI like our NPR and our PBS stations and would not like to see them cut. But cuts are gonna hurt someone.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that cuts will hurt someone... but Congress should weigh the cuts carefully. I submit that subsidies for millionaire farmers, aside from the two examples I cited, should take precedence over cuts to the CPB. Just my $0.02...
DeleteI agree.
DeleteI saw a piece somewhere in the last few days that pointed out that Big Bird and sesame street could easily go it alone as a commercial program; they already get lots of cash from the sale of merchandise, etc. and would probably be picked up by a major network or cable if they were cut off from the federal teat. I understand where you're coming from, but I believe I'm with Bag on this...the cuts are bound to hurt someone. And I did like the way Romney pitched the idea...is the program worth borrowing money from China (or where ever) in order to keep it?
ReplyDeleteI've read the pieces you've cited, Dan... I think. Sesame Street alone rakes in millions of dollars in merchandising dollars, but would that particular revenue stream be shared among the other PBS programs? I'm sure the PBS management could work all that out but...
DeleteThe whole "borrowing from China" meme cuts across the entire spectrum of federal spending, doesn't it? I think we take in enough tax dollars to fund a small and reasonable federal gub'mint, but the fly in the ointment is the UNreasonable federal programs...
There are certainly plenty of those UNreasonable programs. And I agree with your comment above about many Farms subsidies and entitlements; many of those are UNreasonable. Also, in fiscal year 2010 we spent 37.7 billion on economic (not military) foreign aid; I suspect that a lot of that could be cut! And then there's that danged Dept. of Eduganda, oops, Education. Not to mention the Environmental Regulatory and Energy Choking agency.
DeleteAgreed!
DeleteWhen we lived in Louisville the local PBS radio station WFPL (Free Public Library, the studios were in the basement of the old library bldg downtown)was OUTSTANDING w. numerous science and political shows (Ford lecture series, etc) plus a nightly 90 min news show from Canada on Canadian politics that I found fascinating--not to mention their jazz offerings, etc. Our New Orleans station is heavy on almost nothing but classical music besides am/pm news and locals who control the board think that is jes fine.. The several SoCal stations we can pull in have some GREAT alt indie Rock stuff--the polar opposite of New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteI agree w. you Buck, about the small rural station problem, and would reluctently fund, but it is STILL rather offensive to think that working-class types who statistically rarely listen are being taxed just so mid-upper class types and PhD academics can get their fix--let 'em maintain their own habit (which means you & I should ante-up, Buck :)
BTW, does ENMU have a radio station? And if so can you pull it in? KLSU in B.R is great for alt music and has a booming signal, while the equally good Tulane station (WTUL)is not even heard all over town...same for the many in the LA area with Loyola Marymount (KXLU) and Cal State Northridge (KCSN); Pasadena City Coll (KPCC) and Santa Monica Comm College (KCRW) both play gread alt sounds and are both NPR stations for news and are good as well. Only problem is that most aren't 24 hrs as SMU, LoyolaM and Univ of Cal Irvine all hare the same freq (89.3)and alternate hours and days.. You ought to stream them, Buck, they all (or most of them ) stream. There is even a special radio/speaker sys you can get (can't remember name or cost) that will pick up the stream from your computer so you're not tied to head-phones and the 'puter for all-aspect listening..
When we lived in Louisville the local PBS radio station WFPL (Free Public Library, the studios were in the basement of the old library bldg downtown)was OUTSTANDING...
DeleteThe best NPR station I've ever heard was WDET. Like your WFPL, DET did a lot of original programming and was more like a '70s free-form FM rock station that got teleported to the '90s. I listened to nothing but DET for the ten years I was in Dee-troit.
...which means you & I should ante-up, Buck :)
How do ya think I got the shirt? I don't support my local NPR outlet coz I don't listen to 'em (shitty programming... all elevator music, all the time), but you ARE right, just on GP's. PBS is another story, however. They still get money from me.
I used to stream some of the college stations before I discovered Pandora... but not in the last few years.
PS: I first heard the radio serial version of Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy on WFPL in Louisville back in 70s. LOL Funny as H and I didn't have to buy the tapes/CDs!
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched a PBS show of any sort in decades. I do not agree with the US Federal Government spending money on the Arts, on TV stations that push a left leaning agenda - or any agenda for that matter. I don't see why the US should be sending countries money when WE have to borrow that money, or worse yet, print it out of thin air.
ReplyDeletePBS shows will survive IF they have good content. Heck, they will be picked up by networks that will give them more exposure without costing the taxpayers a dime of their tax dollars.
When you are broke you don't go living large with donations to others. You can't. Simple as that. The US has been spending money it hasn't had for a long time, and these fools in office keep spending more anyway.
I bet you they have no concept of what that amount of money is. None. It is play money to them, and a ways to line their pockets.
A half billion dollars a year to PBS - for what? Honestly, what could they possibly put on that has that kind of value? The shows for the kids? Have you watched Sesame Street lately? They are ALL about promoting the liberal POV - never mind how the parents feel about such things as gay marriage, or any other political issue of today.
Why should our government fund programming that promotes primarily one side of the political divide? Last I checked, taxpayers come from both sides, why should my funds help the liberal cause with their indoctrination campaign?
There is plenty of money to keep them operating, but it shouldn't be coming from the taxpayers. Sorry if that means one less channel to watch, but if it has value, people will pay for it, just like everything else they have on their TVs.
Noted, and disagreed... vehemently. I've read your arguments in other places and what you say amounts to nothing more than regurgitating right-wing talking points. But one thing: you failed to address the rural station issue, which is where I come in.
DeleteLove PBS, Buck and thought Mittens looked like a grasping politician for highlighting such a non-issue.
ReplyDeleteBut we all know why he went there, it's an easy pander target that appeals to hard rightwing conservatives. God forbid their kids watch Nova or learn how to count with liberal puppets.
Hugs, hope you're doing fine.
I agree, Daphne. Romney should have kept his mouth shut on this subject.
DeleteDaphne apparently just drinks the leftist Kool-Aid.
ReplyDeleteThere have been countless articles that have shown many of the PBS shows give incorrect information, out right lies at times. Yeah, just the thing liberals always want to do to our youth, fill their heads with mush that is not based in reality, just so long as it revises history to go along with their perverted world view, all is good.
Got ya.
And of course Romney wouldn't be looking at things the Federal Government needs to cut out of the spending because it isn't part of the Constitution. How is entertainment something that is critical to the welfare of a Country that is going bankrupt?
What to really do something to educate the kids? Get them to read, bring them to historical places around your area, TEACH THEM YOURSELF. In other words - be a real parent to them.
Ooooh, Anon. You better buckle up and HOPE Daphne doesn't come back to tear you a new asshole. I've watched her eviscerate clue-free Lefties and Righties, equally. I don't need to defend the woman, she's more than able to hold her own. Let's just say The Girl is a small-L libertarian with a conservative bent. And one helluva mother.
DeleteHang on... you MIGHT be in for a ride.
Sorry, Buck. I find it a waste of my time to argue with simpletons too afraid to give their birth name when slinging ignorant nonsense
DeleteWell, dang. And I had the popcorn all ready. ;-)
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