« Antidote | Main | Live 8 In the Hood »

Time To Call Your Congressman

Dear Congressman Fattah, Senator Santorum, and Senator Specter:

Oh, my god. Are you seriously considering eliminating funding for Sesame Street just when my 7 month-old has discovered the delights of Elmo and Grover? Please don't let the only alternative be commercial television with its endless pitches for sugary sweets, needless toys, and fattening fast food. I happily support public television (and public radio) with individual contributions, and I want to support it with my tax dollars, too.

Save PBS now. It's money well spent—money invested in our future.

Sincerely,
Lori Hylan-Cho
Philadelphia, PA

Posted by Lori in news/media at 11:02 AM on June 22, 2005

Comments (2)

Stephen:

I listen to the Rachel Maddow show on Air America. Two weeks ago she aptly predicted that it was all a ruse. The right wanted to gut PBS by cutting funding by four hundred million. Yesterday, in bipatisan negotiations, the house restored one hundred million through an amendment.

Meanwhile, while evryone is, as Rachel put it, "Dancing in the streets with Fozzey Bear," we're not supposed to notice that they've appointed Patricia S. Harrison, former chair of the Republican Party, as president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Why gut CPB when you can control it instead.

Don't worry. Things will change soon and Austen will be able to grow up believing in Big Bird like every American has a right to.

I highly recommend the Rachel Maddow show.

http://www.airamericaplace.com/archive.php?mode=show&id=17

Posted by Stephen | June 24, 2005 4:25 PM

Posted on June 24, 2005 16:25

Lori [TypeKey Profile Page]:

I've been thinking about this, and it has me wondering: *Should* we be more worried about the former GOP head now heading up CPB than about PBS losing funding? Here's why that makes me uncomfortable: First of all, it suggests that right-wingers were justified in claiming that CPB is a hotbed of liberalism. (Why else would we be upset that a Republican is "controlling" CPB?) Second, funding was still reduced, and drastically. I'm very glad that $100 million was restored (through bipartisan efforts, I might add), but $300 million was still cut. Whether any CEO -- Republican, Democrat, or Independent -- will be able to run CPB effectively with the reduced budget remains to be seen.

In the meantime, I'm keeping up my contributions to local PBS stations (there are three in my area) -- and I'll be keeping an eye out for worrisome changes in programming. Postcards From Buster better stay on the air!

Posted by Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] | June 28, 2005 12:08 PM

Posted on June 28, 2005 12:08

Comments

I listen to the Rachel Maddow show on Air America. Two weeks ago she aptly predicted that it was all a ruse. The right wanted to gut PBS by cutting funding by four hundred million. Yesterday, in bipatisan negotiations, the house restored one hundred million through an amendment.

Meanwhile, while evryone is, as Rachel put it, "Dancing in the streets with Fozzey Bear," we're not supposed to notice that they've appointed Patricia S. Harrison, former chair of the Republican Party, as president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Why gut CPB when you can control it instead.

Don't worry. Things will change soon and Austen will be able to grow up believing in Big Bird like every American has a right to.

I highly recommend the Rachel Maddow show.

http://www.airamericaplace.com/archive.php?mode=show&id=17

Posted by: Stephen at June 24, 2005 4:25 PM

I've been thinking about this, and it has me wondering: *Should* we be more worried about the former GOP head now heading up CPB than about PBS losing funding? Here's why that makes me uncomfortable: First of all, it suggests that right-wingers were justified in claiming that CPB is a hotbed of liberalism. (Why else would we be upset that a Republican is "controlling" CPB?) Second, funding was still reduced, and drastically. I'm very glad that $100 million was restored (through bipartisan efforts, I might add), but $300 million was still cut. Whether any CEO -- Republican, Democrat, or Independent -- will be able to run CPB effectively with the reduced budget remains to be seen.

In the meantime, I'm keeping up my contributions to local PBS stations (there are three in my area) -- and I'll be keeping an eye out for worrisome changes in programming. Postcards From Buster better stay on the air!

Posted by: Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 28, 2005 12:08 PM

Comments are now closed.



« Antidote | Main | Live 8 In the Hood »