GOP to kill Big Bird, Suffalupagus next

I grew up on a standard diet of PBS shows like Sesame Street and Mr Roger's Neighborhood. In fact, I still consider Fred Rogers to be a hero of mine.

That's why I was appaled when someone forwarded this to me from MoveOn:

Dear MoveOn member,

Everyone expected House Republicans to give up efforts to kill NPR and PBS after a massive public outcry stopped them last year. But they've just voted to eliminate funding for NPR and PBS--unbelievably, starting with programs like "Sesame Street."1

Public broadcasting would lose nearly a quarter of its federal funding this year. Even worse, all funding would be eliminated in two years--threatening one of the last remaining sources of watchdog journalism.2

Can you ask 3 friends to sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS again this year?

http://civic.moveon.org/...

Last year, over 1 million of us signed the petition, and Congress listened. We can do it again if you pass this message along to any friends, neighbors, or co-workers who count on NPR and PBS for news or children's programming.

This would be the most severe cut in the history of public broadcasting. The Boston Globe reports the cuts "could force the elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs." NPR's president expects rural public radio stations may be forced to shut down.

The lawmakers who proposed the cuts aren't just trying to save money in the budget--they're trying to decimate any news outlets willing to ask tough questions of those in power. Americans trust public broadcasting more than any corporate news media.3 This is an ideological attack on our free press.

President Bush's budget proposed cuts to NPR and PBS4, but Congress is going even further: slashing 23% of this year's public broadcasting budget--$115 million--and denying NPR and PBS any funding in two years. The cuts immediately terminate support for commercial-free children's shows like "Sesame Street," "Clifford," and "Maya and Miguel."

The House and Senate are deciding if public broadcasting will survive, and they need to hear from viewers like you. Ask 3 friends to sign the petition at:

http://civic.moveon.org/...

Thank you for all you do.

-Noah, Eli, Adam G., Tom, Marika and the MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Thursday, June 8th, 2006

P.S. You can learn more about the threat to public broadcasting from our
friends at Free Press at:

http://www.freepress.net/...

Go here to view Mr Roger's speech on the subject of funds being cut from educational television.

-Bob