For decades, taxpayers have been forced to fund PBS and NPR, and with them any political tilts that we disagree with.
For decades, some lawmakers have nominally agreed that taxpayers should be liberated from this unchosen obligation.
But nothing has changed.
Now, however, President Trump has issued an executive order to simply end “Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media.”
“Americans have the right to expect that if their tax dollars fund public broadcasting at all, they fund only fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news coverage. No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies.…”
I say we have a right that our tax dollars not be used at all to fund public broadcasting. And that, also contrary to the text of the order, the government is not “entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize.”
It should have no authority to pay for any activities unrelated to the proper functions of government.
I will, however, accept the result of the executive order, defunding of public broadcasting. If we do get this result.
“The federal funding that supports Public Media,” PBS is alerting its viewers, “is at risk of being eliminated.”
But this public media is also — and famously — supported by pledge drives and other non-governmental funding sources.
Zero public funding doesn’t mean a world without Big Bird; an absence of subsidy does not mean an absence of the MacNeil Lehrer NewsHour — or its successor show, PBS News Hour. These and many other much-loved shows might well thrive solely on voluntary funding.
“Now is a critical time to act,” urges PBS.
Yes. Tell Congress to ratify the elimination of federal funding of public media now.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with Krea and Firefly
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