[Dialogue] Re Save NPR and PBS

[R Williams]

Colleagues,
 
Let me share a concern, and let me begin by saying I'm a fan and supporter of NPR and PBS.  I listen and watch regularly and contribute on occasion.  We know we are in a time of serious belt tightening and cuts to many areas of the federal budget are inevitable (as well as state and local budgets) and hard choices are having to be made.  I wish the lion's share, if not all of it, could be taken from the defense budget, but the reality is otherwise.  So here's my problem.  When I put NPR and PBS up beside proposed cuts to WIC, Headstart, job training, tuition loans, Bread for the World, and the myriad of other programs whose demise will most directly impact those who are least able to afford it, I'm having a real problem putting NPR and PBS at the top of the list of priorities.  If I'm missing the point, please tell me where.  I'm open.
 
Repectfully,
Randy
 

--- On Mon, 2/14/11, Janice Ulangca <aulangca at stny.rr.com> wrote:


From: Janice Ulangca <aulangca at stny.rr.com>
Subject: [Dialogue] Re Save NPR and PBS
To: "Colleague Dialogue" <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Date: Monday, February 14, 2011, 4:18 PM





Here's a good letter from a retired Binghamton University professor who is active in sustainability and other issues.  He's also writing to Eric Cantor, the House Republican Majority Leader and to Senator Jim DeMint--a vocal opponent of funding for CPB.  The quotes from Thomas Jefferson are great.
Janice Ulangca
 
                                        Richard A. Rehberg
                                    Apt. 908 Riverside Towers
                                        5 Riverside Drive
                                  Binghamton, New York 13905 

 
February 12, 2011
 
John Boehner
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
HC-232
The Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20515
 
Dear Mr. Speaker:
 
I understand that key Congressional Republicans propose substantial funding cuts for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has been quoted as saying that “With record debt and unemployment, there’s simply no reason to force taxpayers to subsidize programming they disagree with”.
 
As Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, I would ask that you oppose efforts to reduce funding for CPB.  
 
Both PBS and NPR provide extremely valuable news, science and education, and cultural programming for the nation.  During an average week, more than 20 million American citizens listen to NPR for relatively objective coverage of local, regional, national, and international events.  
 
In an increasingly global era when the commercial broadcast and cable channels have reduced their coverage of international events, the importance of both PBS and NPR to an informed citizenry is of compelling importance.
 
As Thomas Jefferson wrote:  
 
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."
 
". . . whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right."
 
In the spirit of our Founders, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting informs and educates the citizens of this nation thus facilitating a strong and vibrant democracy.  It has earned and it merits continued federal support.
 
Cordially,
 
 
 
Richard A. Rehberg

-----Inline Attachment Follows-----


_______________________________________________
Dialogue mailing list
Dialogue at wedgeblade.net
http://wedgeblade.net/mailman/listinfo/dialogue_wedgeblade.net



 
____________________________________________________________________________________
8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time 
with the Yahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut.
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#news
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://wedgeblade.net/pipermail/dialogue_wedgeblade.net/attachments/20110214/84b7a5e7/attachment-0001.html>