[Durham INC] NPR and PBS th get the chopping block?

[Tom Clark]

Randy, you're logic here is very sound, and I think the values you proclaim
are shared by many, if not all of us.

But you are speaking to the wrong side of the problem.

The facts are well known, if not acted upon, by people with our shared
values:

   - The US spends more on defense than *all other countries* in the world *
   combined*
   - As declared by Congressional leaders last spring, the Pentagon
   maintains 3 (three!) separate systems--submarine, strategic bombers and
   land-based nuclear missles--for destroying the Soviet Union, a country that
   hasn't existed for 20 years, and with whose successors we have a treaty
   about limiting weapons
   - Spending money on weapons not only takes money away from the investment
   in the *true* necessities of life--education, health care, housing,
   art--but contributes to a powerful cultural wind of inclination to actually
   *use* these weapons that we have paid so dearly for, instead of more
   rational methods of dealing with our planetary co-inhabitants

Good, clear-headed people can and will disagree about the particulars of
what our national priorities should be.  But please let's not continue
cutting teachers from the schools, funding for our college students,
health-care for the sick, sustenance for our libraries and the already-low
amount of investment in the creative arts while pretending that every dime
spent by the Defense Department is necessary to our survival as a nation.

TC

-- 
Tom Clark
919-274-7463
tomcie at gmail.com

On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 12:37 AM, RW Pickle <randy at 27beverly.com> wrote:

> It's not Government Public Radio and these choices are tough. I listen to
> some NPR segments and give $$ when they have their fund raisers. They even
> give away some decent gifts for doing so. And PBS is no different. Should
> government fund WQDR because folks listen to country music? Or WRAL
> because of their programming? Of course not. And these government funded
> programs need to stand on their own as well. XM radio, Dish or Time Warner
> isn't free... But you can listen/watch what you want. So paying to
> listen/watch what you like is already out there (and not government
> supported). We're not talking about necessities here.
>
> Just today, the UNC Board of Governors raised tuition by 8% and dropped 60
> programs. Why? Because this spending train has to come to a stop before it
> runs over us. If it doesn't, finding easy money to cut will switch to some
> much harder choices. And we, the taxpayers, will ultimately write the
> checks to pay for it.
>
> Instead of telling legislators what not to do like cut NPR and PBS
> funding, shifting trust fund money, or even saving the
> spotted-three-legged possum, tell them where they can cut some money.
> Cutting government waste hurts no one...
>
> We have to understand that as a country, it's all trickle down money. And
> when there is a problem at the headwaters of it, the down-stream side of
> it just gets smaller and smaller. Something has to happen and cutting
> spending is all that can be done. Because as taxpayers, we wouldn't stand
> for the increase that would be necessary to fund it all...
>
> Randy Pickle
>
>
> >  See immediately below...and please sign and/or contact your legislators
> > and tell them to protect public radio and public broadcasting. The
> > American public can&#39;t afford to be any more mis- or un- informed.
> > Next we&#39;ll be subsidizing Fox!
> >
> > Our legislators need to look at how much THEY are costing us and start
> the
> > cuts there. We need an independent consultant to determine where the cuts
> > should be made. We all know our state and federal operations are top
> > heavy...legislators and many other govt employees get top notch salaries,
> > top of the line health care plans, gym memberships, travel stipends, and
> > multiple simultaneous pension plans to boot...
> >
> > Melissa Rooney
> >
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------
> > I guess we shouldn&#39;t be surprised.
> >
> > With Republicans back in charge of the House of Representatives, funding
> > for NPR and PBS is in grave danger. Again.
> >
> > The Republicans just released their budget proposal, and it zeroes out
> > funding for both NPR and PBS—the worst proposal in more than a decade.1
> >
> > They probably think that no one will notice these cuts in the midst of so
> > many others. But the millions of listeners and viewers who rely on public
> > broadcasting for "Sesame Street," "All Things Considered," and
> independent
> > journalism will notice.
> >
> > We need to tell Republicans that cutting off funding was unacceptable
> last
> > time they were in charge, and it&#39;s unacceptable now.Â
> >
> > Add your name to the petition to save NPR and PBS:
> >
> > http://pol.moveon.org/nprpbs?id=26078-10944909-Zl5Z_Dx&t=4
> >
> > The petition says: "Congress must protect NPR and PBS and guarantee them
> > permanent funding, free from political meddling."
> >
> > Thanks for all you do.
> > –Daniel, Amy, Michael, Wes, and the rest of the team
> >
> >
> >
> >       _______________________________________________
> > Durham INC Mailing List
> > list at durham-inc.org
> > http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
> >
>
>
> ====================================================================
> This e-mail, and any attachments to it, contains PRIVILEGED AND
> CONFIDENTIAL information intended only for the use of the addressee(s) or
> entity named on the e-mail. If you are not the intended recipient of this
> e-mail, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering it to the
> intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any reading,
> dissemination or copying of this e-mail in error is strictly prohibited.
> If you have received this electronic  transmission in error, please notify
> me by telephone (919-489-0576) or by electronic mail (pickle at patriot.net)
> immediately.
> =====================================================================
>
> _______________________________________________
> Durham INC Mailing List
> list at durham-inc.org
> http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/inc-list/attachments/20110212/9fb5aa35/attachment.html>