This is such a transparent attempt by the Bush Administration to stifle dissenting views and prevent a deep, sober analysis of the negative transformations our country is undergoing. Democracy really is crumbling in the US. The major news sources are being controlled. Those that can’t be controlled are being eliminated. All we have left is the internet, but of course corporations will find ways to convince the government (those parts of it that actually need convincing) to give them the types of control necessary to ensure they dictate what issues are to be of concern to the public. After the government and corporations gain sufficient control of the information on the internet, it’s over.

RE: Comment #54860 by AMIGO,  DUBYA WANTS TO KILL “BIG BIRD” BECAUSE HE WANTS THE NEXT GENERATION TO BE AS IGNORANT AS HE IS!

Good point ...

I’ll bet Dubya’s never watched Big Bird or Sesame Street. Or Arthur, or Between the Lions for that matter. That stuffs way to deep for him. Teaches real values, like how to get along and share and it’s OK to be different or handicapped or (heaven forbid) poor. Teaches simple science, beginning math and vocabulary skills. Obviously he’s never watched them, so of course he can be persuaded they have no value.

We need to go after the rest of his pack, the so-called conservatives. The ones that love to hate the poor and the handicapped as much as they love to hate the informed and the intelligent. They’re all villains here!

A good hunk of society can’t afford cable or Satellite. But PBS is available to anyone with a TV.

FREE!

Something else they hate!

Like Social Security, it just fries their gizzards that there’s something out there they can’t make money from!

Good possibility if we let them get away with this we’ll see a batch of “Christian Right” replacement shows, show up.

Indoctrination of our precious children’s minds on a grand scale. Cartoon versions of war, war and more war, all in the name of God. Featuring the valiant Bible Hero’s slaying the dirty Arab’s. Hate in the name of love. Death and destruction glorified. And always the gentle reminder if our kiddies aren’t exactly like them they will fry big-time.

And dear John Roberson (Comment #54880)

Not sure where your PBS is coming from, but mine offers better science, history, adventure, documentary, mystery and theater than ANYTHING I’ve seen on the majority of “private” channels, and thank goodness no phony reality shows!

Different contributors have different tastes so you do get stuff you don’t want, but if you check the program guide you’ll find some great stuff you might want. And NO COMMERCIAL BREAKS!

Check it out, but don’t wait to long ... the holy-roilers would like to control that too!

This is a big one folks!

More important than Hillary and Obama’s Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya.
More important than bald heads and fake boobs.
More important than ...
Ohmagosh!
I just realized I’m going to have to turn on Cable News to find out what’s important tonight!

I really don’t want to do that!

I think you get the picture.

This is a big one folks, start screaming at your congressers!

“I can’t remember the last time I felt any need to watch it”

NOVA
Frontline
P.O.V.
Independent Lense
Art Close Up
Basic Black
BBC World News
Charlie Rose
Frontline/World
Great Performances
Greater Boston
Ken Burns American Stories
American Masters
American Experience
Secrets of the Dead
Scientific American Frontiers
Nature
Mystery
Washington Week
Moyers on America
NOW

And…

Monty Python’s Flying Circus

I cannot believe the many people here saying that PBS is not a vital source for quality programming. (Those listed above are just some of what is available.) The rest of televsion with rare exception is utter garbage.

PBS and C-SPAN are the ONLY sources of (almost nearly) unbiased programming the exists.

“The same Republicans who lambast the entertainment industry as anti-family frequently try to do away with public broadcasting and, ultimately, programs like “Sesame Street,” while celebrating market forces and the media conglomerates they create, which, in turn, pump out more and more sexually charged products in service to the bottom line.”

The contradiction in what conservatives say versus what they actually do is what makes these ideologue phonies so disgusting.

$100 million? That’s a “hyundai”. This clearly has nothing to do with fiscal responsibility and a lot to do with Washington’s annual spending dance. I’m surprised though that the Bush bunch has dragged this bargaining tool back to the fore, especially after that 20-minute freebie Juan Williams gave him a few weeks back.

Why can’t a moron like Bush enjoy sesame street. Maybe he’ll give the funding to fox news,
so kids can see bigots instead of big bird.

Of course the biggest numbskull in the country would want to cut funding for an educational TV station.  I thought he billed himself as the ‘education president’...but then again, he really isn’t, because he cannot pronounce nuclear (noo-cue-lar) and one of his many quotes (I love the fodder he gives us and he doesn’t even have to try!!!) - “the question is, is our children learning?”  No Child Left Behind??? not as long as they’re rich brats like yourself, Georgie-Boy!!!!!

I’m torn. On one hand I don’t want to see PBS die or be de-funded. On the other hand, I can’t remember the last time I felt any need to watch it, as it seems to have been taken over by barely-veiled infomercials by the scary Suze Orman or Wayne Dyer, or endless nostalgia concerts. And then when they do comment on current events, they spout Bush propaganda, and even their historical documentaries for at least ten years now have barely-buried right-wing spin(check COMMANDING HEIGHTS and its defense of Friedman and Pinochet—reprehensible stuff).

If PBS really was what its enemies pretend it is, I would be more passionate about it. As it is, I have a hard time caring. Which is depressing, as I used to be an avid PBS viewer.

Yet another attempt by this administration to control, if not silence, a source of debate or critical review of their policies, procedures and activities. So A la Vlad Putin. When should our dissidents and journalists begin fearing for their lives? Or do they?

I see President Bush is out trying again to destroy NPR and PBS.  I can understand why.  Given that those news sources produce the closest thing we still have to genuinely fair and balanced journalism and given that the Bush regime is not only one of the most incompetent in history, but one of the most deceitful as well, it would greatly benefit him to silence any organization capable enough to prove it and not afraid to do.

DUBYA WANTS TO KILL “BIG BIRD” BECAUSE HE WANTS THE NEXT GENERATION TO BE AS IGNORANT AS HE IS!

Bush’s certified base is corporate. So why’s his hands on our public wallet? Don’t we arrest pickpockets anymore? His only goal now should be completing daddy’s other unfinished project: a kinder, gentler nation. That would include fully funding PBS… Putting Bush Straight.

I keep thinking if we can just hold out 2 more years, we can be rid of this bozo and his “advisors” who are making every effort to put this country back into the 1950’s, when life was more “moral” and “family-oriented” and “safe” and all the other fantasies they try to spin.  But can we hold out?  They have so completely screwed this country up, from economics to living standards to personal freedoms…....I do live in fear, just as they wanted, but it’s them I fear.

As “1984” draws closer and closer, how do we get out of this trap?  It’s up to us and it starts with TROOPS OUT NOW,  that’s how!

I wish that public tv/radio/pbs/npr/etc. would lose ALL gov’t funding, and be solely funded by donations from individuals. That way, they wouldn’t be beholden to the gov’t. Their news division is turning into a Bush propaganda machine!

Incidentally, Seasame Street has enough episodes that they could never film another one and be fine. All they show are reruns already. What we really need are more Frontline programs, more Now programs, and other programs willing to investigate corporate and gov’t fraud.

Of course.  Any entity that is non-corporate must go.  If there is no multi-millionaire/ billionaire behind the curtain of company, the odds of them supporting the GOP are against them.  Beside, we’ve had way too much truth for way too long.  And if the word “public” is found anywhere on any program, it must go, as it is, as such, a socialist enterprise.  This is a White House, afterall, that has been caught paying commentators to promote their “talking points”.  Anyone who believes that FOX News isn’t on the White House’s payroll is kidding themselves.  All those empty suits at that network started re-characterizing the “surge” as “re-enforcements” the same day as the White House.  Of course there a hundreds of instances of the same, but I couldn’t help but tune in to FOX on the eve of the Congressional elections to see what the reaction was.  That Lurch-looking guy,  Brit Hume, looked like he was going shit his pants and pass out.  He just kept repeating over and over, “Oh, this means there’s going to be investigations, this means theres going to be investigations”.  Yea…thats a real journalist (sarcasm intended).

A historical study of the Republican Party confirms what many people have accused it of: A “respectable” criminal organization controlled by American’s richest families…the same families who ruthlessly controlled America over 100 years ago.  Only their kids and appointed heirs are running things now.  Same tune, different lyrics.

The ugly truth is that the criminal rich have stopped at nothing to gain and hold power and weatlh. The average American is raised and trained to blindly buy into their patriotic baloney…so the rich can have a steady stream of fodder for their on-going wars of avarice and profit.  Meanwhile, they spew lies and hated through their hired thugs, like FoxNews. Their arrogance is appalling and insulting. 

Bring them down now.

The Neocon-slash-Right-wingnuts don’t want any stinking truth through REAL news out there to “confuse the masses”.

They want PROPAGANDA mills like Faux News, and C(corporate)N(ews)N(network) [hence huge corporate tax cuts]—and PBS hasn’t towed the line so it’s OFF with their…funding.

That’ll teach ‘em, and they shall serve as a warning to other broadcast corps (careful there, C-Span!) what happens when you don’t do the bidding of the rich and powerful keeping the masses dumbed-down, and uninformed.

For God’s sakes! 

Not PBS also….. 

It’s one thing that Georgie W. didn’t use Sesame Street to hone his language skills; but, there is no excuse to effectively leave millions of children in the dark from learning their ABCs.

So what else is new? I have been watching this fight since Bush got in the White House and it makes me furious. Some of the best, most honest programing on TV that is free to those who can’t afford to buy TV and Bush wants to get rid of it. It is educational. It is timely and gutzy and Bush sees it as a money pit. What an idiot. He also sees it as a voise that he can’t control. I can’t wait until the day that man is out of the white house. He has done nothing but gut the nation of anything good.

Not even Big Bird goes untouched by the Big Turd.
What happened did the CPB miss their monthly contribution/graft/kickback payment to the Republican party?
There’s no place else in the world where you can be GOPeed on like the good old USofA.

Bush cuts PBS funding by 25 per cent because we do not need comic any longer. Only his dynasty can make us laughing is enough so he could save money for….Iraq war !

Good.  PBS should have to compete in the free market.  If their programming is as good as they say, they should have no problem staying in business.