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Subscribe to RSSIf history is any precedent -- especially if Republicans win control of Congress -- assignment editors can probably plan on a Washington D.C. press conference featuring Big Bird and Oscar in the next few months.
In the wake of NPR’s decision to fire political analyst Juan Williams for his remarks about Muslims, Republican Sen. Jim DeMint announced Friday that he will introduce legislation to nix federal financing for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS programming. (In fiscal year 2008, public radio and TV received 13.8 percent of its total revenues from CPB appropriations.)
“With record debt and unemployment, there's simply no reason to force taxpayers to subsidize liberal programming they disagree with,” said DeMint in a written statement.
The sentiment, echoed by conservatives from Rep. Eric Cantor to Sarah Palin, could set up a rerun of congressional Republicans’ previous attempts to reduce or eliminate taxpayer funding for public broadcasting often labeled left-of-center by critics.
It’s a back-and-forth as predictable as Oscar the Grouch’s enthusiasm for trash.
Efforts to reduce funding for public broadcasting date back to President Richard Nixon, who was irked by what he perceived to be anti-Administration bias on its public affairs programs. In 1973, he vetoed appropriations for the Corporation, which later agreed to shrink its control over programming decisions.
Newt Gingrich led another charge in 1995, labeling PBS “a little sandbox for the rich” and promising to “zero out” funding for public radio and TV. After a public outcry, the Corporation survived the onslaught, and PBS added several new programs apparently aimed at conservatives.
More unsuccessful calls for defunding came in 1999, when it was revealed that Boston public broadcasting station WGBH had shared its donor list with Democratic Party leaders.
And in 2005, CPB chairman (and Bush appointee) Kenneth Tomlinson renewed allegations that public broadcasting are liberally biased. But after a House subcommittee voted to completely phase out the government’s grant to underwrite the programming, a powerful lobbyist showed up in Washington to rally support to reinstate the funding -- Clifford the Big Red Dog. House Democrats held a press conference near the Capitol featuring the cuddly character, kids with handwritten posters, and boxes of petitions from viewers. The full House restored the money.
So, will this year be the one that the funding is finally eliminated? If it is, it will be a spending cut brought to you by the letters G, O, and P.
Leave a Comment:
I'm tired.
If they de-fund public broadcasting as leaning left, then we should take away tax exemptions from churches, as they lean to the right.
We need the revenue.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't someone already mention that federal funds only account to two percent of NPR's budget?
Take it away, already.
Why is it when Conservatives disagree with something, they ALWAYS seem to want to 'defund it' or 'take it away'?
What's up with always 'taking away' something from someone?
Sure, let's take away the tax exemptions from churches. Especially the ones that use the pulpit to try and shame us into supporting the Healthcare bill and other social policies. Separation of church and state only occur when it is a conservative church. When Democrats campaign from the pulpit, all you hear is silence.
Wouldn't bother me if they took away tax exemptions from churches preaching politics--a good many of them try telling their members how to vote every Sunday. If they are going to use the pulpit to talk politics, they should lose the tax free status.
Hey, I don't have a problem de-funding the Boy Scouts either, to be perfectly frank, Pietro.
But for the record, I long thought NPR relied solely on federal funds to operate. But two percent? C'mon, even if this flap with Williams hadn't gone down it still strikes me as two percent they don't really need and taxpayer dollars shouldn't pay for.
they use MONEY as the end all be all of existence, it's the only way they know how to punish. I've heard they get written out of wills frequently, too.
well, okay, I made that part up; but it wouldn't surprise me.
NPR is non-partisan. It is not "liberal." The same is true for the New York Times. There are liberal radio talk shows and liberal newspapers, but both the media mentioned above are non-partisan. Op-ed pieces are clearly labeled as such and the people who do them do not do regular news pieces. The Republicans who call NPR "liberal" only betray how far to the "right" they have pushed the center.
On a different note, those who watch FOX can let the others know if Mr. Williams remains as consistently "liberal" as he was hired to be.
kate
NPR is non-partisan. It is not "liberal."
Right that's why Soros donated money to them because they are so centrist right? How about Totenberg when she said on NPR that she wished Jesse Helms and his grand kids would contract aids. Why wasn't she canned? How about when she said she hoped that General Jerry Boykin "was not long for this world". Or how about the other idiot there that said that if 4 million Christians suddenly evaporated that the world would instantly become a better place? Did he get fired? Let me make it easy for you; they weren't.
Hilarious that in decades the Conservative narrative hasn't changed except for the name. Forty years ago Armand Hammer was the bogeyman and the TriLateral Commission was going to lead us down the road to the destruction of America. Today it's surrendering our sovereignty to the United Nations with George Soros as the instrument of our downfall, but Conservatives are still circulating the same tired scare stories.
Kate,
Evidently you have not heard but everyone and everything from moderate Republicans then Independents and then (shudder to think) Democrats are liberal left wing commie socialists who need to be defunded, or neutered, or eliminated from society so the right can take over this beautiful land and run it the right way. Just ask Rush or Glen or Sarah, and the rest.
"What's up with (Republicans) always 'taking away' something from someone?"
The left always elects people who will take away (steal) from people and give the money them.
What's the difference?
I don't care how they lean. Why the hell are we paying taxes to support programming on the idiot box? Hell liberals have no problem with cutting food stamps from the poor to give to the teachers union but god forbid if they should have to give up tax payer supported TV.
The issue is not the defunding of NPR, it's the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that DeMint wants to defund. NPR gets 1.5% of its funding from the CPB, which gets 15% of its funding from the Federal Government. The CPB is required to spend 89% of its money on grants to NPR, PBS and PRI (Public Radio International). CPB receives about $4 million per year in Federal funding.
Juan Williams admitted that his remark was irrational. And it was. You shouldn't be saying that Muslims are to be feared. We're attempting to open our hearts to all here in America. That is, we're "attempting" to do so.
Leave it to DeMint to be clueless. NPR felt it wasn't a wise thing to say. Juan Williams agreed after the fact.
But as Rachel Maddow said, even though NPR felt his remark wasn't appropriate for their company, it certainly is appropriate over at Fox Propaganda. He received a raise.
We all see the images on Fox of Latinos, African Americans and Muslims. It's really getting bad here in the United States of America when members of Congress behave like this.
PBS to be nonfunded? PBS? DeMint is an idiot and I doubt this will get anywhere.
Did you actually read Juan's comment? I really didn't get any indication that he was deliberately trying to rally irrational fears about Muslims.
That's because Fox likes both sides of an argument. Obviously, at NPR, they only like one side, their side.
You should listen, before you judge. This afternoon would be a good time. We are talking about NPR not PBS.
ED: His fear of Muslims is "irrational" is what he said.
And to tell you the truth, I don't care anymore about this story. If people are in fear, it is because they are constantly being told to be afraid.
It's called propaganda. There are so many in the Muslim world who are here in our country, trying to make a life for themselves and their families. But the hate towards them just won't end.
_________
I think NPR had a right to fire Mr. Williams if they were uncomfortable with what he said. Perhaps this is a moment where responsible people are attempting to stop the fear and hate mongering. They have drawn a line and don't want to have their listeners believing they are listening to Fox.
I hope so.
I'm just saying, he continued on about a need to remember this isn't a conflict with Islam itself but a conflict with extremism. I don't see how anything Williams said comes even remotely close to some of the nonsense that drops out of the usual punditry on FOX.
I understand NPR's position, but I don't think this was a justifiable enough reason to fire him.
Pat,
Juan said his "feelings" were irrational?
I thought Juan admitted he got nervous getting on a plane with men in Muslim garb? After 19 Muslim men slit throats and flew airplanes into 3 buildings killing 3,000 Americans, after Muslim men try to blow-up airplanes with their shoe bombs and underwear bombs, Muslim men trying to blow up Times Square and a Dallas office building, and a Muslim man shooting 40 soldiers at Ft. Hood.
That's not proganda Pat, that's reality. That's irrational? I thought people were entitled to their feelings by the libs. Somebody leave an envelope on your desk with powder on it - you nervous Pat. Somebody leaves a brief case unattended in the lobby and no one gets nervous. Irrational to be nervous? Give me a break.
I saw clips on RCP yesterday about this. Patricia Heaton was evidently on the View and ask if Juan would have been fired if he had said he was nervous around tea partiers? Heck Whoopi even thinks this stinks!
Vivian Williams talking about his psychiatrist on TV but is too gutless to meet Juan face to face to fire him. What a liberal disgrace.
Juan knows and has said not all Muslims are terrorist. He also knows most all recent terrorists are Muslim. He shouldn't be fired for being nervous when he doesn't know the difference yet.
BTW - If you are tired of a story, or don't care, maybe you should post a comment about something other than that story.
I have an idea. Poll all of the registered voters in the US about what government programs, departments and initiatives they think should be defunded.
Then defund every single one of them.
That's the only way to be fair.
NASA and tax exemptions for ALL churches would be at the top of MY list.
What would be on yours?
The Boy Scouts.
Oh, and subsidies for muncipal purchases of red light cameras.
Zoom, zoom~
Sobieski1683
"That's because Fox likes both sides of an argument. Obviously, at NPR, they only like one side, their side."
Yea and Verily you speak the truth about Fox liking both sides- the conservative side AND the right-wing side!
"Oh, we have both kinds of music here...Country AND Western."
Juan Williams repeated the same thing he said on the Bill O'Reilly show and didn't back down on it. I saw and heard him say when he sees people in full muslim dress in airports, he has a moment of fear.
Nothing wrong with that! Even if the intolerant left doesn't like it, we all have a right to our feelings even when it doesn't agree with the left's opinions.
They'll try and they'll fail...I have lived through this several times before.
It isn't just liberals who rely on PBS and that is their mistake. It was before and would be again.
Pat-You CAN'T fired someone over their opinion!!! This is why NPR will lose their funding......................
Dangerfield, I believe this time they do succeed in cutting the funding-which only represents two per cent of the Corporation's budget.
I'm sure you remember the outcry when Giuliani put the broadcast licenses for WNYC up for sale. He gave them first crack at buying them-my husband and I ponied up, and urged our friends to do so, as well. It was our choice, as regular listeners.
I pledge and subscribe to public radio, as well as to three different public television stations. That is my choice.
Taxpayers should be let off the hook. It is a small enough amount of their budget that they can make it up easily. They have plenty of rich friends to fall back on.
Looked at another way, America is broke. When people are broke, the first thing that gets cut is movie money.
We just can"t spend money like it grows on trees . We need to spend money on other needs if it is in need of more money get george soros to give a little bit more
Yes, you absolutely CAN fire someone over their opinion. Specifically when they signed an employment agreement that said they would be required to follow certain journalistic integrity guidelines to remain employed.
Freedom of speech extends to preventing individuals from seeing criminal charges. It does not save them from employment agreements that they AGREED to.
This is why Juan is no longer employed with NPR, but is also not in jail.
You can fire someone over their opinion if they make it while representing their employer.
Would any retail store maintain someones employment if they made derogatory remarks about a specific ethnicity during their shift or after while still wearing their uniform?
In a right to work State, you can fire anyone.
You can also still sue in a right to work state.
Good luck with that.
MY wife was fired because she broke her leg. The employer stated she could no longer preform her duties. She was allowed to go on unpaid medical leave, but when the time ran out she was out the door. Then law did not protect her. She was within two weeks of being released by her doctor.
You'd be surprised at how lucky you can be, even suing in a right to work state.
The GOPers are playing politics--get their base really fired up before election day. Demint and pals say outrage, outrage. How dare NPR fire someone, it's free speech. Yes, it is, but those who speak some words, should not. Anyone given thought to what the point of that O'Reilly Muslim conversation was anyway.
The GOP has decreased PBS/NPR spending everytime they are in power. It is not suprising they would use this incident as a means to defund it entirely.
As for America being broke, well guess who spent us into oblivion everytime they've been in power--the GOP. We'd save more money if the Pentagon bought one fewer airplane than we'll save on the money given to public broadcasting.
NJNB-
Yep, do remember that time, but believe that public television should have and deserves some public, and by that I do mean taxpayer funds.
Jody,
How partisan can you be in attacking partisans? It is the freaking OBLIGATION of both parties to fire up their base in the days prior to an election. Both sides have their 'wedge-issues" and they dust them off and trot them out when needed...
Your post has the tone and tenor of the harangue of a wronged spouse in a long and bad marriage. That GOP of a husband has been out with that O'Reilly character and come home soused again!
Salt,
Every state is different. Here's a link about Right to Work.
http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm
Jody from Iowa, you are my hero. Well said on all your posts. You say what I wish I could say. Thank you so much.
I would also like to add that the divisiness and anger between the two major political parties is exactly what Wall Street & big corporations like. Divide & conquer and spend their hard earned retirements and foreclose on their homes. Remember money doesn't disappear, it just changes hands. Thanks Republicans.
I can understand the GOP's mounting frustration with NPR and all public broadcasting:
Instead of spin, the public broadcasters simply report the facts. Unfortunately for the Right, facts have an annoying habit of proving them dead wrong on everything.
I only listen to NPR, because you are right. They report the facts in the most fair and balance way possible. When opines are on the air they are noted as such.
Sen. Jim DeMint announced "With record debt and unemployment, there's simply no reason to force taxpayers to subsidize Republican wars they don't agree with"
In this day and age, it is unconscionable that we have to use my tax dollars for an obviously biased organization like NPR. If it is so great, let it fend for itself.
But, instead, they use my tax dollars to employ people to wish AIDS on conservatives. Nice non-bias, there, NPR. Oh, and by the way, Juan Williams was the only black man working there and he was only on contract. I guess they don't care to have "those people" working with them.
The GOP is frustrated with money going to organizations with a biased slant.
If folks like the programming enough they should be willing to pay for it. Why should the government fund it with other peoples' hard earned money? This question is especially valid when a number of those individuals whose tax dollars are funding NPR dislike the left-of-center propaganda they frequently espouse.
Taxpayer funding is not used for programming. Listener/viewer/corporate contributions are. Taxpayers fund infrastructure. You, too, could donate and impact programming choice!
This is not about free speech or someone's opinion that was offensive. This is about policy. William overstepped NPR's policy though I think they should have let him go when he first started speaking on Fox.
Fox is run by corporate sponsors that dictate who and who cannot speak (though O'Rilley never lets his guests speak whom he does not agree with) NPR is mostly run by listeners. I have also respected NPR because of their reporting the news as it is and not throwing out propaganda for those who think they are so smart by being dumbed-down by Fox.
Yeah, all news has to be picked and chosen by someone, but if you put Fox alongside NPR, hands down NPR is much more 'fair and balanced'.
I've never heard anyone on Fox wish AIDs on anyone.
Imagine that - a business with corporate sponsors! What a novel idea! And if the sponsors don't like what the business says or does, they stop sponsoring them. Genius! It's almost like, like, like... the REAL WORLD.
I guess Sobieski wasn't paying attention when a Fox commentator said that gays "have it coming to them" because of "their lifestyle"?
Jim,
Who said that statement?
PLeahy,
I thought I heard Juan had been with NPR for 10 years. I don't watch much, but it seems I have seen Juan for years on Fox. If they fired Juan now, after he has been doing it for years, after they have in effect been condoning it by not saying anything for years, that's not about policy, is petty and just as gutless.
Fox is a private organization that doesn't receive your money to put on slanted political stuff your against.
O'Reilley is just a jackass that probably interrupted the Dr. as soon as his head poked out.
Feel free to watch NPR. You can pay for it and let them make it on their own like all the other liberal stations.
1) Unfortunately for the general public, NPR can't compete without being on the public dole. So all of us are "unfair" to them if we think they should. We're heartless dolts who actually think you should EARN your way in life by doing something that others WANT to pay for. I don't want to pay for ANY business, public or private, liberal or conservative, muslim or otherwise, that I don't directly benefit from. Anyone can act like an ass if they so desire - Fox, CNN, MSNBC, or any of the hundreds of other stations - just don't do it on MY DIME.
2) Fox propaganda - interesting moniker. What did you call NPR after they aired "How to Speak Teabagger"? NPRX-rated? How about CNN's "Black in America"? CNN-I Don't See Color in People? These are ALL opinions that evoke feelings and only Juan Williams got fired when he admitted having those feelings. Gee, I wonder why? It's because he had audacity to admit EXACTLY what we all feel when we get on an airplane and see people in muslim garb. How do you feel when you see skin-heads on your flight? After all, they're only people. Right? ALL of them don't want to kill you... only some of them do.
3) Well, we couldn't defund a $113 Million dollar business before, so why try again? After all, they ONLY get about 13% from you and me. It's just a pittance and, what the heck, they're so un-opinionated and fair and wholesome and diverse and kind and never offend anyone and well... it's clear they're for everybody! Scratch that... everybody HAS to pay for it; like it or not.
Did you know that the KOCH foundation is a major supporter for NPR and PBS?
Great, if the KOCH Foundation and also George Soros are major supporters of NPR and PBS, then the organization obviously does not need taxpayer support. I'm with the Senator, drop all taxpayer support!!
Cheers to FR for calling it what it is--definitely, Oscar the Grouch. These GOP/TPers are unbelievable--PBS is far from liberal and provides quality programming--defund Ken Burns' wonderful Civil War, Baseball, National Park programs--that's insane. NPR provides fair and balanced programming. NPR has standards and a code of conduct; they did not want to be represented by someone who expressed anti-Muslim sentiment. Juan Williams admitted his remark was irrational; in my view, he should have realized that he was on FOX and that he would likely be drawn into saying something he shouldn't.
Once again, an event on FOX sets the republicans hair on fire. ACORN was an innocent pawn in a scammer's con aided and abetted by FOX; ACORN was found to be innocent; the scammer edited the tape and FOX showed that edited tape to slander a legitimate group, one FOX determined is an enemy of conservatives. The GOP succeeded in defunding a program that helped minorities, worked at getting minorities registered and to vote and did many good things to help minorities. Now DeMint and his grouchy, anti-whoever is different crowd are going after NPR and PBS.
Here's a thought for Big Bird DeMint--how about denouncing the hate speech on FOX. That's the REAL ISSUE here--the anti-Muslim discussion between O'Reilly, Williams and a couple others. It has nothing to do with NPR firing someone and everything to do with defending hate speech. FOX is 24/7, it is anti-Muslim, anti-hispanic, anti-minority and anti-anything that doesn't meet the conservative litmus test. How about defunding DeMint and his fellow grouches by cancelling their taxpayer wages.
You must be watching a different Fox than I have. I have not seen one piece of hate speech on Fox.
OK Jody. No more kool-aide for you today. Try typing a sentence without generalizing the extremes of the Right and the Left in it. It's good excercise in rational logic. Nah... on second thought, drink up!
Well, then I suggest you remove your ear plugs.
Why? I don't own a TV.
I was commenting on your written propensity for extremist views, right and left.
While Americans have the right to free speech, when we are working we have to stick to the company script. If NPR is not happy with Juan Williams' comments then they have the right to fire him. If I say something that the company I work for doesn't agree with they have the right to terminate my employment.
That said, the US taxpayer should not pay for public radio. That's the problem with gov't funding. Once it starts you can't stop it.
Finally, Juan, while I don't generally agree with him, will be much better off working for FOX. He'll make more and certainly reach a much broader audience. Broader in two ways. Larger and people other than the narrow minded liberal elites.
Yes, the boarder audience at FOX who is SILENT on Charles Leaf. He got arrested for raping a 4-year old couple of weeks ago. He is still on the FOX page and payroll. Looks like nice company for Williams.
XTown,
It's on their website and Fox 5's too.
typical liberals...he's guilty without trial because he is conservative. But if he is guilty then I'm sure he will not be a part of FOX. I'm guessing you libs are now implying Williams hangs with those guilty of sexual assault?? Nice....but not unexpected of the 'extreme' left....
One can only imagine the screeching we would hear if we found out Fox got 2% funding from our tax dollars.
I guess all those Fox viewers just aren't smart enough to understand the more sophisticated message over on NPR? Therefore they can't tell that NPR is so much more fair and balanced. Liberal elitism can always be counted on.
That's right. Freedom eventually wins over narrow-mindedness
More Freedom is a direct result of less and smaller government...so I do hope Freedom wins out. Nixing funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be a tiny step in the right direction.
Hey, Barry, where are the jobs? Every democrat knows this phrase - "It's the economy, stupid." What has become of that liberal battle cry?
Good Point. I was wondering when the Dems would get that message. Need to remind everyone it is the goverments role to create Jobs.
It is definitely NOT the role of government to create jobs. Many think it is....and way too many people are employees of the government but not working efficiently or doing a job that even needs doing. Busy work to create employment. BAD GOVERNMENT POLICY
It is interesting to watch the flap about the firing of Juan Williams. I have deep feelings on the issue of liberal versus conservative agendas. I would find myself opposed to the liberal agenda including Williams but the liberals who control public broadcasting goofed on what they did to Williams. The media has generally supported Williams. He was a gentle man and well respected. The management of the public station shot itself in the foot.
With the rise of the tea party fueled by hate and fear and operated with screams and rage it is unconscionable of Williams to throw gasoline on the fire with his racist remarks. For now he gains a three million contract with FOX. Hi missed an opportunity to show courage and dignity by not playing in the right wing fray of bigotry and aggression. May you reap what you have sown, Williams. Spread hate and hate will come to find you.
Ever read a Juan Williams book? Have you ever heard Juan Williams speak? You really can't be serious...
There is more hate speech in this blog than in anything Juan Williams has ever written or said. You, XTown, not only have no courage or dignity... you don't listen or read either.
YO DUDE - google Charles Leaf. Your FOX is a pretty bunch. Or look up Huckabee and his connection to the cold-blooded murder of 4 cops in Washington. You're an avid reader, go ahead.
Just why should we be paying for National Propagandist Radio???
Wow would be dumb enough to listen to religious cult members palin/cantor ? You cant trust anything they say
Yeah, you're right, "Sobieski". I never heard any hate speech on Fox "News" either. I also never saw anyone hit a home run at Yankee Stadium. Nor did I ever see a girl scream in a horror film. And I also never saw a child cry in a public place.
Never heard hate speech on Fox "News"? Either you live on another planet or your definition of hate is one not shared by most people.
Well, said Jim Cap.
Right-wingers have always hated PBS and NPR. Why? Because they can't dominate them fully, as they do with Hate Radio and Fox "News" Network.
The conservatives like control. And they go red in the face when someone says something that challenges their distorted and bizarre view of reality.
They've been trying to defund any and all voices of opposition. This is nothing new.
I only WISH NPR and PBS were anything close to the "liberal" voices that these right-wing dolts claim they are. Anything just slightly to the center of Ronald Reagan is "SOCIALIST" in the view of these strange people.
So predictable.
Now I hear that Jim "Gomer Pyle" DeMint, who longs for the "good old days" of the Jim Crow south, is trying to defund NPR and PBS.
You see, old Jimmy (Gomer) lives in a fantasy world where blacks, Latinos, Asians, women and "them foreigners" are just there to serve rich white men like him, while he sips his mint julip by the pool, just off the golf course at the Country Club.
DeMint relies on the fear and ignorance of people to stay in office. And he hopes that they don't notice when he does the bidding of people who legally bribe him with "campaign contributions".
Most Americans consider DeMint an unhinged extremist. He'd never have a shot at statewide office outside of the old Confederacy.
So a guy who already works for Fox News gets himself fired from NPR and ends up with contract that will make him rich continuing to work for Fox. Conservatives get to feed their impressions of being a persecuted class and beat up on one of their favorite targets, public broadcasting. Meanwhile it becomes a distraction from crazy Tea Party candidates and the anonymous fundraising scandal.
It's awfully convenient, isn't it?
Spreading a bit of hate for three million, how could he resist? Just as long as nobody points out that FOX reporter Charles Leaf -arrested for raping a 4-year old - has NOT been fired. That just does not stir up the right wing rage.
Time to go.
Off topic and into name calling. Talk about predictable...
This incident is enough to make me break out my wallet and support NPR/PBS. I liked Juan Williams, but he violated a policy he was well aware of. Perhaps he was offered a chance to clarify his remarks and declined. It sounds like he was as happy to be rid of NPR as they were of him. I can understand people disagreeing with taxpayer support of NPR/PBS. I disagree with tax breaks for churches.
Well a number of people have said if Angle wins in Vegas.. they wont go back again ...She is bad for business in Vegas. Both Asian and Latinos will avoid going to Vegas .
If no one has noticed we in Vegas need both !! and we don't need her !