A week after conservatives voted to cut literally all federal funding for public broadcasting within the next two years, it appeared PBS programming was in trouble. The good news is the House reversed course yesterday, sparing public broadcasting funds from the chopping block. The bad news is, others weren’t so lucky.
The 284-140 vote Thursday to reverse a 25 percent proposed cut demonstrated the enduring political strength of public broadcasting, whose supporters rallied behind popular programs such as “Sesame Street,” “Postcards From Buster” and “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.”
The Public Broadcasting Service undertook a high-profile campaign to rescind the proposed cut. Lawmakers were flooded with letters and phone calls.
To be sure, this is encouraging. The public learned of a GOP plan to slash PBS funding, people expressed outrage and lobbied against the cuts, and lawmakers backed down.
Unfortunately, the overall spending bill also target domestic programs that have a less active base of support.
For example, President Bush’s signature No Child Left Behind education initiative would be reduced by $806 million — more than 3 percent.
Republicans said they had done they best they could under Bush’s tight budget for domestic programs.
The bill essentially would freeze current spending levels, but new demands have forced cuts in programs for job training, rural health care, low-income schools and people lacking health insurance.
Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the number two House Democrat said the bill is proof that the “Republican Party’s misguided and irresponsible tax and budget policies have real consequences for real, live Americans.”
PBS has a base that Republicans are hesitant to upset. When it comes to the unemployed and uninsured, however, the GOP’s attitude is far more cavalier.