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

Sat Feb 12 13:40:16 EST 2011

I'm not saying that what I think is right, wrong, or the opposite
direction to take. What I'm trying to get across is that instead of
looking for things that are near and dear (such as NPR), tell the folks in
Raleigh where they can get the funds. It's easy to find cuts but much
harder to make them...

Legislators can make a wide brushstroke when cutting spending, but that
rarely happens. Instead particular areas (such as the arts) are regularly
targeted as they are deemed "unnecessary". And even talking about Defense
in this conversation is far from the check I'll write for taxes here in
Durham (or other places we own property). But it relates in that if more
is spent at the top by the Feds, then less will trickle down to local. So
by that action alone, we'll pay more here. But the folks in Raleigh who
dictate our daily lives (with taxes) can only change what they can.
Defense is a National issue.

Just today in the Herald Sun it was reported that the City is breathing a
sigh of relief because the budget gap for next budget season is looking
much better (by $12M+) than last years. So instead of continuing this
reduction of waste and curbing of the spending appetite, what do the
administrators say we'll do... give everyone a raise and slack off
tightening the waste. Wouldn't it nice to see a reduction in taxes
instead?

I have never had children, but I have always payed for the education of
those who do through taxes. Why? Because education is important and does
nothing but offer a better future with an educated populace. Every now and
then I may say something related to a waste in our education system
(generally not past our local educational facilities), but education is
positive thing for a better future everywhere.

The DOD (Department of Defense) isn't all about protection. Currently DOD
is at the forefront of energy conservation. And through some of these
efforts, our lives (and utility/fuel bills) we will see the fruits of
their labor. I'm all for spending money that will show back up in the
pockets of those who payed for it in the first place. All of Government
isn't a bad investment...

Randy Pickle

> 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 PBSâ€”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.
>> > â€“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
>> >
>>
>>
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>> http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>>
>

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