NPR and PBS on the Chopping Block?

House Republicans have decided public broadcasting and programming such as Sesame Street should be mortally under-funded. If you haven't received the e-mail circulating among liberals and moderates alike, asking you to sign MoveOn.org's petition, well . . . you must be living under a rock.

A nice, cozy, cool rock.

But hey, we can't all live like earwigs now can we?

As MoveOn itself reports: 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.

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.

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.

Seems to us this is a bad idea. If you agree, here's the link to sign the petition.

(R Woerheide)