The number of the day today is 4. Four is the number of million dollar budget cuts keeping our Federal Government from contributing no federal money to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Be careful how eagerly you count up to 4, Count… once you get there, you might get cancelled. At least in rural areas of the United States who can’t rally support for public broadcasting on without federal support.

A Washington Post article from last Friday (linked through moveon.org) details the circumstances surrounding the vote from a House subcommittee. According to the vote, the federal government would cut 1/4 of the federal money going to CPB (that’s one million dollar budget cut) in the first year of the plan, then eliminate it all together the next year (and there’s two, three, and four). The measure would also greatly reduce the amount of our tax dollars going to CPB.

I’m not going to use this post to try and refute the ridiculous statement that public broadcasting is giving liberal bias to our media (whoops, that just slipped right in there…). Even if you buy the argument about liberal bias, suggesting that cutting funding will fix the problem is like saying that destroying all roads will end car accidents. Yes, you might be right, but there’s probably a more sensible approach that doesn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (I’m just full of analogies tonight!).

As someone who watched Sesame Street as a kid (I was right in front of the TV smacking my nose along with The Honkers… just ask my parents…), I think it worthwhile to discourage this measure. Even though the chances are high that it won’t pass through the House proper and the Senate, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vocalize your opinion. Moveon.org has a petition circulating; I’d encourage you to sign it if you agree with the principle.