Posted on 03/04/2011 10:43:23 AM PST by jazusamo
(CNSNews.com) - Two Republican senators on Friday introduced a bill to stop taxpayer subsidies to public radio and television.
Since 2001, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has received nearly $4 billion in taxpayer money for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said with the nation on the brink of bankruptcy, some decisions to cut spending are difficult -- but not this one:
"Americans struggling to make ends meet shouldn’t be forced to fund public broadcasting when there are already thousands of choices for educational and entertainment programming on the television, radio and Web," DeMint said. "President Obama’s own bipartisan debt commission proposed ending these unnecessary subsidies to public broadcasting. NPR boasts that it only gets 2 percent of its funding from taxpayers and PBS gets about 15 percent, so these programs should be able to find a way to stand on their own.”
Coburn called subsidies for public broadcasting "indefensible." "The federal government has no business picking winners and losers in today’s highly competitive media environment. NPR and CPB will do just fine without largesse from Washington," Coburn added.
CPB was incorporated as a private, nonprofit corporation under the authority of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and its first taxpayer subsidy in 1969 was $5 million. In the current fiscal year, CPB is slated to receive $430 million from taxpayers, and President Obama recently asked for an increase to $451 million, the senators said.
PBS President Paula Kerger received $632,233 in compensation in 2009, according to the tax forms that nonprofits must file, while NPR President Emeritus Kevin Klose received more than $1.2 million in compensation.
DeMint and Coburn also noted that in 2010, NPR accepted a $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Foundation, backed by liberal financier George Soros, to hire 100 reporters. Additionally, NPR has an endowment of over $200 million, they said in a news release.
> They now have an “ad” that states that the “congress is
> enacting law to defund public radio. Please let your
> Representative know that you oppose this legislation.
If this kind of thing is not illegal, then it bloody well should be!
Well they get $430 million from taxpayers so it’s from every one of us. The Libs sound like con artists with the “only” $1.35 a day thing.
Good...they can include that in the next $4 bil slice
I support NPR every year, but that is my choice.
Time to cut the cord.
“F Elmo too!!!”
Defund Now!
Just Do It!
heh, heh, heh,
Oscar will never go away, he’s too mean.
Stop the funding! This is insane! Makes you wonder what their paychecks are..
Now, do the right thing and defund payments to the U.N.!!
$1.35 per person for public radio -and- public television. (whether they listen, or not) (approximately 25% - 75% split)
Like a library, public school, national park, or a road, you have to pay in your taxes whether you use it or not.
GOOD!
Next let’s cut the $700 million Hitlary! and her state department are spending on building and restoring mosques throughout the mideast.
Absolutely! It’s outrageous that we’re funding construction and repair of muzzie mosques.
;)
Defund, defund and defund....Keep going.
Defund, defund and defund....Keep going.
This should be interesting.
I believe Mark Levin is prepared to organize an investment group for the privatization of Sesame Street.
Thanks jazusamo.
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