Narrow-Minded Thinking

Middleman522 3 months, 1 week ago

Unbiased to a liberal only! The taxpayers in this country need to get out of a lot of businesses we've been forced into!! We are borrowing .47 cents of every $ we spend. Big Bird, really!

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

"How else would we get the specials on music, our national parks, the Civil War, baseball, and the list goes on?"

IDK?? The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, H2, The National Geographic Channel...The list goes on. This article is as useless as PBS.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Middleman & Noluv, you have demonstrated rather clearly why the Pilot labeled this letter "Narrow-minded thinking." Look at the benefits the PBS & NPR offer at no cost to you--unless you send them a contribution. Name a program that offends you.

What do you mean by "Liberal?" The programs are unbiased to anyone that can think for themselves. You can't say that about Fox News and Rush Limbaugh. If you want to take something off the air that is offensive, put those two at the top of the list.

The taxpayers do get a lot of return out of PBS. Do not be so narrow-minded that think that the returns have to be monetary.

dustyrhoades 3 months, 1 week ago

Facts have a liberal bias.

teufelhunden 3 months, 1 week ago

There's plenty of crap to cut. Dems and Repubs don't have to look too far.

If you control the media, you control the people. :)

People are easy to control apparently...

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

What vhf channel does PBS air on again?

JD 3 months, 1 week ago

IDK?? The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, H2, The National Geographic Channel...

Sorry that programming got replaced with such trash as 'Ancient Aliens,' 'Aliens for Thanksgiving,' 'Honey Boo-Boo,' and 'Storage Wars.' It's a shame too because I used to enjoy Nat Geo, Discovery and the History Channel until they started offering programming for the lowest denominator viewer.

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

Kzowens: Calm down. Never said get rid of PBS. I just answered your question. JD: Ancient Aliens is the only one of those shows that airs on the channels i mentioned. Most of those shows are A&E or TLC. I won't watch either of those networks and I have lost respect for The History Channel too because of shows like Pawn Stars.You have to pick and choose what you want to watch (I imagine that is how it works on PBS too). I don't like the reality aspect, but there are still some great shows that don't play to that crowd.. Way more interesting than PBS no contest.

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

" The only reason I can think of that any politician would consider cutting funds for PBS is because its news programs are unbiased and intended to inform, rather than influence, the public."

Is PBS important enough to pay for with a credit card from the Bank of China only to pass on the bill to our children and grandchildren? It seems irresponsible to me, unpatriotic even. PBS unbiased, now thats a good one.

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

BTW. Is this Ken Owens the preacher?? LOL!! Can't be.... And it is just a question. I don't even believe in religious dogma. So calm down before you get excited people.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

"How else would we get the specials on music, our national parks, the Civil War, baseball, and the list goes on?"

How about by paying for them.

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

geoffcutler: "How about by paying for them."Gosh darn!!!! I wish I would have come up with that answer. And c'mom Geoff we all want free stuff man.

AFCHIEF 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr. Owens I bet you support spending $300,000 to study the effects of yoga on womans Hot Flashes. And yes it is in the budget. The spending madness needs to stop.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Unless PBS is running public service messages all day and night, get rid of them!! We DO NOT, as a nation, need to be paying for ANY TV. Why are we? The federal budget is for defense and national disasters that the states cannot handle on their own. Nothing else.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon- PBS is around for the same reason as the post office. Whatever reason that is?

clarabelle 3 months, 1 week ago

what a bunch of silly old republicans - complain all day and night about anything!

PBS funding < 0.012% of budget.............. yes - 1/10000 of the budget!

"Cutting PBS support (0.012% of budget) to help balance the Federal budget is like deleting text files to make room on your 500Gig hard drive"

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

JD & Noluv and anyone else with such a narrow knowledge base that they do not know the difference: the shows you mention are cable channels--not PBS.

Tune in on the PBS channel on cable or satellite. It is also on FM radio. Try watching or listening in. You might learn something—maybe a lot. If only for that reason, PBS is worth it. For those that think taxpayers are burdened by PBS: PBS does receive grants, but it is member supported.

Remember that your next presidential candidate says: “The Republican Party has to stop being the stupid party. Broaden your horizons. Don’t be so narrow-minded.” Bobby Jindal

Clarabelle: Great comment. Shows that it is not about the money. It is about controlling information.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Here in Alaska, in many places, PBS radio is ALL one can get. I appreciate that they broadcast out to these bush areas, but the govt should not be funding it, even if it only cost a nickel!!!

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

Middleman522 3 months, 1 week ago

Dusty, what facts?? $16,500,000,000,000.00 in debt! How does that one grab you?

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Noluv, you first called PBS "The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, H2, The National Geographic Channel." And JD thinks “honey boo-boo” is on PBS. Now you know the difference.

See, you've learned something already. I just don't see why you are angry that other people want PBS. Planned Parenthood should get funding, as well, but it doesn't have to come from PBS funds. We are a nation so big and so rich and so prosperous that we can afford many programs that benefit the public.

The party that resents funding education and the arts is narrow-minded. The Tea Party leaders think that their constituents are already too smart for their own good and are working hard to dumb them down. It is hard to control the minds of enlightened people.

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

Owens: you asked, "How else would we get the specials on music, our national parks, the Civil War, baseball, and the list goes on?"

I answered you. I never called PBS anything. And JD was responding to my comment not yours. Get your stuff straight. Everything you mentioned in your question I can find on other media outlets and a lot of it for free. I wasn't comparing PBS to those other networks. Sorry if it read that way. I don't think it did. More probable is that you like to troll people that comment on your ops/eds.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

"Tune in on the PBS channel on cable or satellite. It is also on FM radio. Try watching or listening in. You might learn something—maybe a lot. If only for that reason, PBS is worth it." kzowens

I think that is probably very true. Very good, and intelligent programming.

But that shouldn't change without public funding... unless of course you think that it is because of the public funding that it is a voice for progressive liberalism, which half the country disagrees with.

I wonder, kzowens, how you would feel if Republicans decided that since the left has public funds going to PBS, and Democrats continually refuse to give up that funding, if Republicans decided to make a matching grant of our tax dollars to FOX News? Many T.V. viewers happen to think its programming very worthwhile, too.

I think concern over public funding for PBS might just go away under that scenario, don't you?

Noluv4thugs 3 months, 1 week ago

"JD & Noluv and anyone else with such a narrow knowledge base that they do not know the difference: the shows you mention are cable channels--not PBS. "

"Tune in on the PBS channel on cable or satellite. It is also on FM radio. Try watching or listening in. You might learn something—maybe a lot. If only for that reason, PBS is worth it."

Ken Owens i need you to educate me. So PBS is a cable channel????

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

NoLuv, PBS is one of the channels on cable or satellite TV (heck, PBS may be on more than one channel). Try WUNC for one. On radio, there are several PBS stations, usually at the low end of the dial.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff, if Fox News were commercial free and reported unbiased facts without crack-pot common-taters, they would deserve funding.

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

geoffcutler, PBS does not run commercials, which is the source of funding for Fox News. I would be happy to see a grant for Fox News that matches that given to PBS, provided, of course, that Fox News stop accepting advertising and has to supplement the remainder of their operating costs from "viewers like you". You want to hear what Fox News version of facts are, you'll have to pay for it. In the meantime, the rest of us will still be able to enjoy the quality programming offered by PBS because we are also willing to support it through our contributions to our local affiliate.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

"We are a nation so big and so rich and so prosperous that we can afford many programs that benefit the public." kzowens

I guess you've already said you wouldn't mind if funds went to networks like FOX, then, on account of we're so big and rich.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

NoLuv: Your first comment: "IDK?? The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, H2, The National Geographic Channel...The list goes on. This article is as useless as PBS."

And JD thought you were pointing out PBS programs because he didn't know what PBS is either.

RE: "Everything you mentioned in your question I can find on other media outlets and a lot of it for free." I don't think so.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Fine with me, Jim and kzowens. If FOX doesn't qualify because of its advertising, then Republicans can launch a station modeled exactly along the lines of PBS, and I'll start writing a check now. Based on the numbers of Americans who listen to Conservative talk radio, I'll bet this new government funded station will be up and running in no time!

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

No, geoff, I said Iwouldn't mind if funds went to networks like FOX if they were commercial free and reported unbiased facts without crack-pot common-taters.

Don't be so narrow minded. Stop being stupid.

pgericson 3 months, 1 week ago

Let's see: in the last fiscal year PBS received a total of $26 million directly from the federal government. [ Most of the monies -$446 million to Public TV last year - goes directly to local TV .stations. To put it in perspective, the US spends $500 million annually to operate each of its twelve aircraft carrier strike groups, and billions to build each of the carriers. If we want to reduce the debt there are many choices, to include one or more carrier groups as opposed to public TV.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

And in fairness to this new station, I think funding should be retro-active so that it receives every penny that PBS has gotten from taxpayers over the years. Don't you?

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Dusty, what facts?? $16,500,000,000,000.00 in debt! How does that one grab you?

Middleman, don't you realize, our economy runs MUCH better when it is in the hole!!! Just ask Jim H.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

No, geoff, Republicans can NOT launch a station modeled exactly along the lines of PBS because they would not be allowed to manipulate the facts and present only one side of the news. PBS presents both.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

I like that, Kzowens. One is stupid if he doesn't agree with a liberal. C'mon...you can do better.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff, You misunderstand!!

I was just alluding to what Bobby Jindal said, "The Republicans have to stop being the stupid party."

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

If PBS isn't biased, then neither is FOX. Care to ask Juan Williams about bias at PBS? Have you watched FOX News contributor, Dennis Kucinich, on FOX lately?

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff, You say, "If PBS isn't biased, then neither is FOX."

That is the stupidest comment on this thread!!!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Not necessarily Kzowens!! LOL

buddysmith 3 months, 1 week ago

why couldnt pbs sell advertising spots to lower its costs? or operate it solely on donations which could be tax deductble??

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 1 week ago

This is unfortunately not a question about PBS at all but simply a small part of a larger question, That question being can we sustain ourselves? PBS may or may not be an important program, I personally have no opinion on the matter, however what I do have an opinion on is whether PBS is worth what ever pittance we spend on it if we could better use that money to make sure families got medical coverage.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 1 week ago

@Afcheif

I found this for you, it is on of my favorite transcripts from a wonderful show called the west wing, your comment on yoga and hotflashes leads me into a perfect place to let you read this statement.

While money spent studying the brains of PCP users might seem to be taxpayer waste, this research led directly to the discovery of the NMDA receptor. Science cannot exist in a vacuum. By nature it's an open enterprise, strengthened by public scrutiny. Openness is the basis of a free society. But when science is attacked on ideological grounds, its integrity and usefulness are threatened. Independent peer-reviewed research is the cornerstone of science in America. It shouldn't be about the left or the right, but what works to keep people safe and healthy. I believe all Americans and all people everywhere, no matter who they are or how they live, deserve research to improve their lives. Thomas Jefferson said, "We must not be afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead." Scientific truth ennobles us. It tells us who we are, where we've been, and where we're going. I believe the truth will only be found when all scientists are free to pursue it.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 1 week ago

Btw government funded studies of prostitutes in latin america led to the discovery of HPV linked cervical cancer.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

TAP, now there's a study l can wrap my hands around!!

LSM 3 months, 1 week ago

PBS does have commercials. They only run at the beginning and end of the show.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

If the statement is so stupid, then you shouldn't mind a partially funded public Conservative channel like PBS.

Courseaire 3 months, 1 week ago

PBS is unbiased - Have you never seen the muppets? One of the most liberal children indoctination programs you can find.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

PBS should receive no taxpayer money. Period. Interesting that all of the liberals here who support such federal funding seem to be jumping up and down defending the "unbiased" programming of PBS. I wonder why that is? Cheers!

samosamo 3 months, 1 week ago

pg the cost to aquire and operate a carrier group is more in like 1.6 billion, a predator drone is about 4.5 million with a 3k hourly operating cost nuclear weapons 10's of billions missing money from pentagon according to Rumsfeld 2.3 trillion just to touch on a few. 47 cents of your tax dollar goes to support some form of the military or intelligence network. and by the way you might that tax check out to the federal reserve bank. PBS is a drop in the bucket more political bull....

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

I appreciate Mr. Owens and his opinion. I even applaud his coming on here to defend that opinion. But to suggest that PBS is not bias, and that somehow those of us who think it is are stupid, ruins the credibility of his opinion. Is FOX bias toward Conservatives? Yes, it is. But they try to include both sides and attempt to hear from a liberal commentator if they put on a conservative commentator.

Is PBS liberally biased? Yes, it is. And to suggest otherwise, is just laughable. So, if you want to come on here and defend public dollars for PBS, then at least have the intellectual honesty to agree that public funding for a Conservative station would be fair. Otherwise, Republicans should continue to do whatever it takes to yank public funding for PBS.

Otherwise, the only narrow-mindedness, is in your head.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 1 week ago

good comment geoff

dentman65 3 months, 1 week ago

What happens to any monies that are earned from sales of toys and things like Big Bird and Burt and Ernie.......I have seen lots of toys and puzzles and stuffed animals and such.....I could not find any figures to show how much their marketing may gross in sales,,,,,does that money go to PBS?

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

Kz Owens, please present to us 1 (one) verifiable lie reported on Fox News since Jan 1 of this year. Shouldn't be hard since according to you and the like minded they lie all the time. What did they report that they knew was incorrect at the time they reported it?

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

Narrow minded thinking comes a lot closer to describing the liberals who post on these forums. They are all completely in lockstep with the liberal agenda. Whatever Obama says and does is just fine by them. 16T deficits are just fine by them even though they howled like mad when the debt was 10.6T.

The_AnonymusProfit 3 months, 1 week ago

dentman65

here is a good timeline of the licensing http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/big-bird-big-business_654415.html

the CTW is valued at about 356 million dollars, seseme street products averaged 515 million dollars in sales netting the private sesame workshop 47 million in royalties.

Sesame street gets about 6 million dollars a year from federal grants.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Geoff, I don’t think you are stupid. You write like a reasonable person, but I do believe that you can’t say something like, “If PBS isn't biased, then neither is FOX,” and not expect a retort. The word “stupid” came from my attempt to try to bring comments by Bobby Jindal into the thread.

I’m not sure how you define “liberal,” but as I understand the concept, PBS is not liberal. Nor is it conservative. There is a middle road, you know, and I think PBS plays the middle very well. You may not realize it, but most of America is moderate. Maybe most of us lean one way or the other, but we are pretty close to the middle. The reason PBS deserves funding is because it offers outstanding programs of public interest that would not be produced otherwise. It is truly a notch above commercial stations.

You say that you agree with the consensus is that Fox News is biased. I might add that there is no question that most of its commentators are biased--some of them extremely so. I’m sure you’ve heard the comment: “If Fox News is your only source for news, you’d be better off not watching any news at all.”

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

In my attempt to receive a balanced view of the news, I watch ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, PBS and Al Jazeera plus I read my local newspaper daily. I have one rule: if there is a panel discussion on a subject that features people with opposing views and one side asks a question of the other side and then repeatedly interrupts the person answering, I immediately turn the channel. I never have to turn the channel on ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, PBS or Al Jazeera. I sometimes have to turn the channel on CNN. I usually have to turn the channel on MSNBC. I always have to turn the channel on Fox News. If you all were to use this same system, you would watch a lot less of Fox News and MSNBC. On the other hand, if you must be kept informed of important stories....like the guy who took his dog to the pound to get rid of him because he thought his dog was gay (actual report I saw on Fox News, but not on any other serious news outlet), then by all means tune in to be informed.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

People will hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see, and believe what they want to believe. Bias rest in the beholder, and the news does a heck of a job exploiting that bias.

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

"Kz Owens, please present to us 1 (one) verifiable lie reported on Fox News since Jan 1 of this year."

Maybe you missed this when I posted it above.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Mssrs. Russell and Owens: Please see Peggy Noonan's column "So God made a Fawner" in today's WSJ. Bias isn't endemic to PBS, FOX or MSNBC alone. It infiltrates most all mainstream media, and most of that media swings hard left. FOX and its bias has always been one of a few lone voices of Conservative media..

And I'll wait for the list of lies reported by FOX, too.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

JimRussell, you nailed it.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Gee, YukonJohn, isn't Alaska the most highly federally subsidized state in the US of A? Seems you aren't quite speaking the truth or reality for that matter. What about Public Schools, Public Highways, Public Libraries and Public Health Care Centers? Our Government has had to step up when the "Private" sector has failed in it's moral responsiblities. YukonJohn, you are needing to have lived many years in the past but it's 2013 so GROW UP. Stop the nonsense, all of you. And FOX NEWS? I've tried to watch it but can't manage more than a minute of their idiocy, so maybe they haven't "Lied" yet in 2013 but they do suffer from an extreme case of STUPID. Neo-Con stupidity is apparently quite "viral". PBS? Give me a break about discontinuing it's funding which they actually receive very little compared to states such as Alaska. We talk so much about "caring" here in America when the hypocrisy surrounding that concept is rampant. Sorry and sad.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Well, that settles it then. The word has been given. Thanks Moon!

"...maybe they haven't lied in 2013" Well, okay, show us the lies in 2012, then. And FOX doesn't take any tax dollars, no matter how small.

The sanctimonious elitism of the left. Phew!

You really ought to be ashamed, Yukon!

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Conservative: Supports preserving existing conditions, institutions, etc. Supports restoring traditional values and limiting change.

Liberal: Supports progress or reform to insure governmental guarantees of individual rights, civil liberties and concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

LIberal: Supports the state to mandate freedom as defined by Liberals and the state, you mean.

Middleman522 3 months, 1 week ago

Geoff, what you are forgetting is that leaning left is middle of the road for these socialist thinking posters on here. Debt is not a problem, total socialist programming is great, unions represented well is good for unemployment, and as long as political correctness is the law of the land, they are in liberal bliss! How do you think they got all of those people to vote for higher taxes, more regulations, more unions, less drilling and higher energy cost, government run health insurance, armed to the teeth Homeland Security that don't give a damn about the border, weaker military, less freedom of religion and speech. You must brainwash them with good progressive programming. PBS, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, NYT, USAToday, and many, many others. When they hear Rush and FOX telling the truth, it seems so right wing because they are standing in the left ditch. It's pretty sad, really! My Grandson will be paying for this vote buying his entire life!

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Our children and grandchildren will be inheriting quite a mess, and the sad part is so much of this nonsense is almost impossible to reverse without instituting term limits.Perhaps when the public understands just how heavy and unworkable ObamaCare will be, it'll fall apart under its own weight. What you say about the media is exactly right. But good luck getting any leftist to admit it.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff "as defined by Liberals"

As defined by Congress.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

I said "maybe" they haven't lied. That doesn't mean I don't believe that they've LIED because I absolutely do believe they've lied about something. I just can't watch them for 24 hrs to make sure of it. As I've said they are so sickenly stupid to watch I can't handle them. They make me want to throw up they are such a stupid bunch. They've "gotten rid" of one of their worst liars, Dick Morris, haven't they? I believe he said that 'Ole Mitt would win by a LANDSLIDE, didn't he? LIE, and it's a LIE because he was just so sure of himself. Of course there are still several left on FOX to chose from. I'll need to do some research, if I have the time.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

You mean by judge-shopped courts, executive order, or late night congressional deals that include bribery, don't you?

Moon, just find the lies and list them.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Your children and grandchildren Geoff will only be "inheriting" a mess if they choose NOT to EDUCATE themselves, NOT to work hard, and NOT to demand FAIRNESS for everyone. America still has the GREATEST workforce in the world. It's just that they are NOT PAID decent wages or given decent benefits by the CORPORATE WHOREMONGERS.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Moon, I don't know where you've been, but by sitting on their asses and watching PBS, my kids can now make more from government welfare and food stamps than if they had a job. And that's if they could find one. Liberalism under Obama sure is freedom, alright! Freedom to do nothing.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Middleman "When they hear Rush and FOX telling the truth"

I understand why you clump Rush and Fox together. But you need to remember that Fox is a news station. Rush is an entertainer. I listen to both for a few minutes at a time--for entertainment. I am aware that a lot of you think of Rush as a political philosopher. After all, Robert Levy, Chairman of the Republican Party of Moore County, considers Rush his soul mate and the core of the conservative soul.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Liberals/progressives hate Thomas Jefferson too. Because he and many of the time owned slaves and he may have had relations with one if them. But they give pass to Clinton and they also give pass to the crooks in congress or appointed czars that have cheated, lied, and otherwise raped the American people out of home, employment, money, and wellbeing. What point does it do to criticize what media outlet one watches or listens to? The media or their puppets neither break your leg or pick your wallet. So honestly, who cares. Maybe we should direct our attention to the ones capable of making eithers sides ideas law.

"One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation. "

–Thomas B. Reed (1886)

DannySteen 3 months, 1 week ago

It is amazing how many "progressives" listen to Limbaugh and watch Fox News. How else would they know so much about what is said there? It can't be that they, being so much more intelligent than the rest of us, would just parrot what others say or just take hearsay for the truth.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Danny, the reason open-minded people occasionally tune in to Limbaugh and Fox is to stay informed, actually know first hand what the nut jobs are saying. Admittedly, we don't stay long before we tune out because much of what is said is so ridiculous that it stops being entertaining.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Ever been to Monticello packwilleat? I have. Jefferson lived in the BIG HOUSE. Some of his slaves lived UNDER the house and the rest lived "OUT BACK." Dirt floors, lots of dust, and very hot and cold during the seasons. Jefferson was a GENIUS but also a HYPOCRITICAL DIRTBAG. Sorry about your kids Geoff. Do they need to go back to school maybe and learn a TRADE? Working with your hands is honorable, although the Corporations don't pay like they used to for those occupations. Seems they feel it's the goverments responsibility to "SUBSIDIZE" employees who work manually hard jobs that only pay minimum wage. They are getting rid of the UNIONS who fought the Corporations to pay better wages. If anyones responsible for the government's BURDEN of ENTITLEMENTS it's having to pay out, it's those DISGUSTING CORPORATIONS.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Here is an idea how about we turn the idiot boxes off and start thinking for ourselves. Pretty simple concept here..... think for yourself, question authority.

Top 10 list of the most corrupt politicians for 2012............

http://www.judicialwatch.org/corrupt-politicians-lists/judicial-watch-announces-list-of-washingtons-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-for-2012/

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

Geoff Cutler, what a revelation!! Watching PBS cause people to become dependent on government. You have officially joined the bottom feeders. Please don't give anyone else any crap about having reasonable discussions here.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Moon-i think you missed my point.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

The liberals idea of open mindedness: think I like I do or STFU. Pretty brilliant for the party that claims to promote tolerance. No two people think alike nor will any law make all men "good".

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

From an internet site that watches over Judicial Watch:

Judicial Watch: “A Conservative Watchdog, and there's nothing wrong with that, but the list seems to be bending over backwards to not just make a list of corrupt Democrats, but ignored Democrats who were more obviously corrupt in order to get the "big names" on there. And to get the big names on there, they play really loose with both facts, timelines and even if you agree everything they say is true, it’s a stretch to call a lot of it "corruption".”

Packy, you don't seem to be very well rounded in your education. Did you get that BS about Judicial Watch from Fox News or Rush Limbaugh??

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr Cutler, we don't have to read Peggy Noonan in the WSJ to know that the right had a problem with the 60 Minutes interview Steve Croft did with President Obama and Sec. of State Clinton recently. I suggest that you get one of your Fox News sneering creeps to schedule an interview, ask all those probing questions, then interrupt the President each time he attempts to respond. And be sure to show it live. I hate edited footage that doesn't show the whole story. I did go to the article Ms. Noonan wrote and found it very interesting that she starts out commenting on how we don't speak respectfully or even reverently of others anymore, then proceeds to speak disrespectfully and irreverently of Steve Croft. But that's what hypocrites do, don't they.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Owens- that was the first site i could find that offered a list. They also have list dating back for years. You're just solidifying my point that your biases keep you from forming any form of independent thought. I could add endless names to this list, both R's and D's. Do you or do you not think both sides are inherently corrupted?

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Actually, this thread is about whether PBS should NOT be a target for federal spending cuts or whether “stupid” politicians should put an end to the non-commercial PBS specials and other programing presented purely for the benefit of the people--stuff like specials on music, our national parks, the Civil War, baseball, and the list goes on.

Looks like the Party of "No" says "Yes"

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr. Russell, catch hold of that sense of humor you lefties always complain we Conservatives don't have. My kids know bias when they see it, and don't watch PBS. And believe me, If FOX could get an interview with either Hillary or Barack Obama, they would. But both refuse to go on FOX. Wonder why? You can always tell when you've struck gold with the left. That's when they start calling you a bottom feeder and going on about reason...something they know precious little about.

Peggy Noonan is not dis-respectful to Steve Croft, either. She just wonders why it is that he isn't doing his job, and gives examples. But nice try.

And Mr. Owens, about how many hours a week would you say you listen to Rush or FOX News?

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Did anyone see the speech by Dr. Benjamin Carson at the National Prayer Breakfast? He strongly criticized the President's policies with the President sitting 2 seats away. He laid out a FAIR TAX poicy that said if a person makes 10 million they pay a million, if they make 10 dollars, they put in a dollar to taxes. That is FAIR!! He said, the people would say that was not fair, but look at it....the person paying a million is putting a MILLION dollars into the kitty!!! He also said the left would say, well it hurts the person making 10 dollars more and the person making 10 million should "hurt" more. He stated that taxes are not there to make a person "hurt". That is not the purpose of taxes!! He was absolutely right and got huge applause!! Moon, what are your thoughts about this.

Not that it is relevant, but Dr. Carson is a black man. I am sure he will be excoriated by the left for being an "uncle Tom" for saying this. To me, that is being racist. Can someone tell me how it w it is not?

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

I'll have to find the tape on this. Good for Dr. Carson!

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Geoff-- Here's the tape on Dr. Carson: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/02/07/dr_benjamin_carson_addresses_national_prayer_breakfast_criticizes_obamacare.html. Very bright guy. Cheers!

dustyrhoades 3 months, 1 week ago

Funny, if a minister had criticized George W. Bush about Iraq or Medicare Part D at the National Prayer Breakfast, you would have been able to hear the screams of right wing outrage as far away as the Azores.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Owens- actually this article and every word you have espoused here has only gone to show that you and many others here are close minded partisan fools. But we heard ya loud and clear, left good, right bad. Tow the party line strong my brother!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Oh, and MC7, what if we give the US of A ten billion dollars....can we leave then? We can afford that easily from our Permanent Fund, which stands at 43 Billion now. Maybe they would let us go if we paid enough, and then we would be right up there with Saudi Arabia in terms of wealth, but that would only be until we got busy developing our natural resources in earnest. Maybe that would help the national debt some, us giving the US money, and secondly, not being such a drain on the US economy!! Please tell your congresspersons that MC7, we would gladly take that proposition!!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

DR. I have an honest question. What is wrong with what he said?

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Just watched Dr. Carson. Wow! Michelle seemed to get it, as did Jeff Sessions. The president appeared none too pleased.

A less informed people become vulnerable. And that's not good. Why? Because that is the way of failed nations, like Rome. It fell apart from within because of fiscal crisis and moral decay.

It would take a person 500,007 years to count to 16 trillion. Our National Debt.

What happens when you take away the allowance of 2 of your five children? How will those two respond?

Some paraphrased excerpts.

JD 3 months, 1 week ago

JD & Noluv and anyone else with such a narrow knowledge base that they do not know the difference: the shows you mention are cable channels--not PBS.

You missed the point of my post (not shocking). I was responding to the quote in my response. Do I think we need PBS? No. Do I like PBS? yea. Are there other places to get similar info? Not really because they watered down their program for stupid people.

So before calling someone 'narrow' work on your reading comprehension. Because kzow it's better to be an idiot and keep it to yourself than post it for the world to see.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

I just went and watched Dr Carson again. That is one of the most inspirational speeches l have ever seen. It ranks right up there with Dr. Martin Luther King's I have a dream speech. I encourage each person reading this to go and watch it. Maybe if it were to go viral enough, he could be our next President. It sounds like he does not care for partisan politics, but that America succeeds. He has valid points, and valid solutions. If anyone on here can find fault with anything he says, please let me know, l really want to know what part you do not like about what he has to say.

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr. Cutler, your dodge always seems to be ,"Oh, I was joking, why can't you see that." You are very predictable. Also, you may want to review the Fox News "interview" conducted by FNC's Brett Baier to reacquaint yourself with the reason why the Obama Administration would be unwilling to appear on Fox News. This interview, conducted in March, 2010, is a perfect example of what is wrong with the way Fox conducts its business. They want to be regarded as a serious news outlet but they seldom act like professionals. If you are not convinced by the Baier interview, you may want to review the one FNC's Bill O'Reilly did with President Obama in Feb., 2011. Gee, come to think of it, that's two interviews Fox did with the President. Guess you are also lying about Fox not being able to get the President to sit down for an interview. But, then again, that is what hypocrites do, don't they.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon (1 hour, 6 min. ago)-- "What is wrong with what he (Dr. Carson) said?" Your question should apply to all liberals here. If you disagree with anything Dr. Carson said, please tell us what, and then why. That's what discussions are all about. So for any liberals who missed it, here's Dr. Carson: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/02/07/dr_benjamin_carson_addresses_national_prayer_breakfast_criticizes_obamacare.html. Please tell us why you disagree with him. Thanks. Cheers!

dustyrhoades 3 months, 1 week ago

Sure...as soon as you tell me how you would have reacted to a left wing minister lecturing a Republican President at the National Prayer Breakfast. Say, if Jeremiah Wright had lambasted George W. Bush on racism and the Iraq War.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

DR, have you watched the speech? He never "lambasted" the President or anyone else. I do not know what political leaning he has or does not have. He could easily be either a D or an R. Maybe neither. I encourage anyone to go and see his speech. I want to learn more about him, but from this little bit, he should be in the running for our next President.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr. Russell, I remember those interviews. 2010 and 11. It's now 2013.

And I went back to read what I said, and I see what you're talking about. You won't believe me, but I replaced "T.V." with PBS, and then didn't read over the sentence. You're right. It does sound like I'm blaming PBS. My mistake.

packwilleat 3 months, 1 week ago

Dusty- there are many here that have lambasted Bush on several accounts. But you refuse to acknowledge the fact that some of us here that are displeased with Obama were just as displeased with Bush. It's a dead argument. Let it go.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Pack, agreed. To me, President Bush was just as bad as President Obama. To me, they were one and the same. But as Dr Carson said, the Bald Eagle, the symbol of our great nation soars so high because he has a left wing and a right wing. Enough said.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Bringing up a hypothetical involving a minister lecturing George W. Bush is even less than a straw-man argument...it is nothing more than a straw-man response...lacking any argument at all. Plus, Dr. Carson never lectures Obama...have you seen the tape? I certainly understand your reluctance to address Dr. Carson's points. If I were a liberal, I'd hate to have to argue against common sense. Hence your vague hypothetical involving Bush being "lectured" by Jeremiah Wright, so as to excuse (or more correctly, forever delay) your own intellectual curiosity to (a) actually listen to what Dr. Carson says, (b) analyze it in your own mind to determine points in which you disagree with him, and (c) tell us here why you disagree with him. Look, you can post cartoons, or you can listen to Dr. Carson and tell us why you disagree with him. It really is that simple, and I'm not trying to tell you what to do. Heck, if you want to continue to post cartoons of crying babies, have at it. I suspect some serious liberals on here will instead want to discuss what Dr. Carson actually said. Cheers!

dustyrhoades 3 months, 1 week ago

Annnnnd...still nobody's answered the question.

And no, I'm not going to repeat it. If you don't read, it's worse than if you can't.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon, I was thinking the same thing after I watched it. What an excellent candidate to run for president. But then, you're right. It doesn't look like he cares for partisan politics.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Dusty, we have told you. Many of us did not like President Bush either. I would not care if it were Rev. Wright, Louis Farakhan, or Jesus Christ chastising him on anything!! And this man is as non-partisan as anyone l have seen. He wants AMERICA to succeed!! Is that not what we all want??

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

The right wouldn't have been as angry, Dusty, as the inordinate amount of air time that would have been given to the highlights of your hypothetical minister berating Bush.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Thatcher, not meaning to ignore you. I see that we are in agreement about this speech. I want to know more about this man, and if it checks out like l think it would, l would try and get a ground-swell of friends to help promote him to some position of authority. You know l am one to not want religion mixing with politics, but l believe he has a clear enough view of the Constitution that it would not be a problem. Again, would want to hear more of him, but he was VERY impressive to me. Geoff, l feel the same way. He is kind of like Colon Powell in that regard l bet. As uncommon as common sense is anymore, it was so very refreshing to hear someone so eloquent talking in common sense terms.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon and Geoff-- He simply does not want to respond to Dr. Carson's points, so he says we either don't read or can't read. I suppose that is his response. So be it. I'm sure other liberals here confident in their beliefs will tell us where Dr. Carson is wrong, and why. Cheers my friends!

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon! We are in agreement about Dr. Carson's speech, and his ideas. Geoff may be correct, however, that Dr. Carson has little interest in politics...he about said so in his speech. And without a doubt, Dr. Carson openly claims to be a Christian man. I think that's a great thing, not because he wants to mix religion with politics, but instead because his faith helped him to become the man he is today. And his speech was not so much about religion or his faith, but about common sense, and common sense solutions. Certainly, conservatives, libertarians, and many democrats could rally behind him. Cheers!

dustyrhoades 3 months, 1 week ago

The right wouldn't have been as angry, Dusty, as the inordinate amount of air time that would have been given to the highlights of your hypothetical minister berating Bush.

No one who's had their eyes and ears open in the last twelve years believes that the right wouldn't have been outraged for weeks. I don't really think you do.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

I went and watched one of the other inspirational speeches that l consider important in my life. The Jimmy V speech at the ESPY'S in 93. The reason l thought of it again is he said we should all do three things every day. Laugh, Think, and have our emotions bring us to tears. I so believe he was right about that. During Dr. Carson's speech, l did all three.

DR,All of that stuff is water WAY under the bridge. Let us come together as a nation, the left wing and the right wing and solve our nation's problems. This is not directed solely at you either. There are people on both sides that do not want to budge. Let's dust off our founding documents and come togethr instead of being divided and on the road to failure.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon! Great post! I think some here would rather argue about hypotheticals than an actual, real speech. Sad, but true. Cheers!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Thanks Thatcher. I spoke with my Mom down there and she said it was a beautiful day. Happy for ya'll. Remarkably, it is a beautiful day here too. Sunny and 28 above!! Its temporary but much appreciated. Thanks for the nice words. I only wish that we would get some responses from both sides on starting to solve the huge problems that we face. I think some, like Jim H. probably feel that we have no problems. Maybe that is why we are not hearing from them.

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

"That is one of the most inspirational speeches l have ever seen."

Couldn't agree more, Yukon.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon! I just responded to JimHeim on another thread about voter ID in North Carolina. As always, he just makes things up. It's sad, actually. And 28 degrees above up there? You must be sunbathing in your speedo! Cheers!

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

So, DR won't comment on Dr Carsons eloquent speech until some of us "wingnuts" comment on a hypothetical speech. So touchy these liberals. To them, Dr Carson dared to espouse common sense ideas that conflict with much of what the left promotes. How dare Dr Carson. To the left blacks can be anything they want with one exception. They cannot be a conservative and be genuinely black but they must tread carefully with their comments as they could reveal their racist tendancies.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

fugitiveguy-- Absolutely correct. A home-run of a speech by Dr. Carson. Cheers my friend!

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Okay guys, are you ready for my "take" on the Doc's speech? As speech's go, it was okay but NOT inspirational. He can't ever be compared to MLK, ever. Why? I had to "research" him and this is what I found.This Doctor belongs to a CULT....The Seventh Day Adventists. I have members of my "extended" family who belong to that bunch of nuts and that's all I'll say...they're NUTZ. He said that his greatest influence is Jesus Christ, yet he NEVER once quoted any scripture from HIM. All of his Biblical passages were from the OLD TESTAMENT. CULTS LOVE THE OLD TESTAMENT. FIRE and BRIMSTONE and all of that. So right there he's one HUGE NEGATIVE, as far as "INSPIRATION" goes. He seems to be a very accomplished Physician and good for him, but I was not impressed with what he said as most of it was common sense. He also DOES NOT believe in Evolution. I find that extraordinary for a physician. Now just to be fair I don't think that a person has to totally believe in evolution to be credible. It's okay to sorta maybe believe that GOD created all of this in 8 days (or was it 7)? But for a physician to completely dismiss all of the scientific evidence that's been discovered is a person who's not thinking right. Not thinking right at all. There's something hiding behind his facade somewhere. I think he needs to start watching more PBS.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- Your comments are noted. But tell us, do you disagree with anything he said in his speech? Cheers!

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

Moon has a point, he's no Sharpton/Jackson/Pfleger/Farrakhan.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

I totally disagree with his "take" on everyone Having a HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT. Why? Because just like regular Savings Accounts and even 401k's they end up getting pilfered for one reason or another. Everyone needs a HEALTH CARE CARD when they're born and that's it. Like in Canada and in Europe. That's it. His idea about the 10% TAX for everyone is also a no go because of "Loopholes" which he said needed to be taken care of but the only "Loopholes" that will be taken care of are the ones for the million-billionaires. The person who makes $100 and pays the 10% or $10 is at a greater disadvantage over losing that $10 than the billionaire is over losing his $1,000,000. Figure it out. It's interesting that you guys seem to really love people who belong to cults. Mittens belonged to one too and while they are greatlly DISCIPLINED they are non-thinking droids. Dr. Carson says he's not a PC kinda person either. Funny thing for a CULT member to say since they are very programed. I guess he listens to Howard Stern all week long in the morning like I do? Only Howard has accomplished the feat of being able to truely speak the Founding Fathers absolute definiton of FREE SPEECH in America. If he's not a Howard Stern supporter then he LIES about speech. Any betters out there?

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

fugitiveguy-- Once again, correct. And MC7, please tell us about Black Liberation theology, which was taught in Obama's church by the good Rev. Wright: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_li.... Or this: http://www.tucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19. Do you think Obama attended a "cult" church for twenty years? If not, why not? Cheers!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7, While l disagree with you on so many things, there is something that we do agree on. I do not want a person from a cult in as President. That is one of the reasons l could never vote for Mitt Romney. I also just found out today that he is a 7th Day Aventisit. This could be a stumbling block for me as well, but if he were to confirm that he is going to leave his religion in his heart and not on the public podium, then l might could be persuaded to vote for him. Where he differs in my mind from Mitt Romney is that l do not believe he is beholden to big business and these backdoor groups that run out nation. He is absolutely right about the economy and health care. To me, those are two of the biggest problems that we face today. I would still want to see his views on other issues like foreign policy, but remember, he doesn't have a huge sign around his neck saying he wants to be President!!

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

I just read Dr Carsons wikipedia entry. I think the word "amazing" is often overused. For Dr Carson it doesn't do him justice. Moon, I don't know what to say about a person such as yourself to research this man as you have done and after reading of his many noteworthy accomplishments and his life of sacrifice you focus on his religion. You found exacty what you are looking for didn't you. Very sad.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

No, President Obama did not attend a CULT. The Trinity United Church of Christ is affiliated with the United Church of Christ which has it's "Roots" in other European Reformation Religions. Meaning they've been around a rather long time with very large Congregations. The "Adventists" have been around only since the middle 1800's with roots in much of nothing and believed that Jesus would return to Earth very soon (as in 1844). To their disappointment Jesus didn't show and they had to go back to the drawing board to rework their "Religion". Now, don't get me wrong I believe in TOTAL FREEDOM of Religion and people can believe whatever they want. Just don't FORCE those beliefs on others. Those "Relatives" I spoke about tried that one on me and my husband and they got a tongue lashing like never before. Sadly my Brother-in-law took my Sister-in-Law (his wife) far away from us and more or less "Punished" her for having "Evil" relatives. Very sad. Black Liberation Theology? Gee, Thatcher, these people had been gravely mistreated and abused in America and wanted to be Liberated. Sorry but I see nothing wrong with that.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

Sorry fugitiveguy, I was rather astonished that Dr. Carson who seems to be a great physician could at the same time belong to such a NARROW-MINDED group. That's why I emphasize it because it's odd. And of course that he doesn't believe in Evolution. I don't know if he explains anywhere what his "Beliefs" are regarding the "Creation of Man" but for a Man of Science to NOT have some doubts about The Bibles teaching of Earth's and Man's Creation is a real NEGATIVE to me. Sorry Fugitve but that's the Skeptic in me.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- Incorrect. Black Liberation theology has been around since 1966: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_li.... It's foundation is Marxism: http://www.acton.org/pub/commentary/2008/04/02/marxist-roots-black-liberation-theology. Not suprisingly, 1966 was the year Kwanzaa was invented: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa. http://www.askkids.com/BlackHistoryFAQ/Who_Invented_Kwanzaa.html. Kwanzaa, too, is Marxist, and very few African-Americans celebrate it. http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2012/12/the_media_are_still_falling_fo.html. Hope that helps. Cheers!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7, I believe in creation not evolution. That is an argument for a different day though.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

You know what Thatcher, Marxism and Communism is DEAD. Died awhile ago now. It had some okay ideas but many were proven to not work and also tended to create GREEDY LEADERS just like CAPITALISM does. Interesting YukonJohn that you're a Creationist up there in Alaska. Maybe it's that living in that Below Freezing weather all the time? Whatever works for you is fine.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- "You know what Thatcher, Marxism and Communism is DEAD." Love ya Moon, but you need to make sure Obama gets the memo. And by the way, here's the felon who invented Kwanzaa in 1966: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maulana_.... Such a sweet guy. Cheers!

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

President Obama seems to love Wall Street and the Military Industrial Complex just a bit too much Thatcher to be considered a Commie or Maxist. Go read a bit more history. Felons are People too, in case you forgot.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

"Felons are People too, in case you forgot." I didn't forget. They are people. They are also felons. Cheers!

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Yep Thatcher, they are people. And once convicted, they are felons! My stepson is a felon...but a felon none the less.

Thatcher 3 months, 1 week ago

MC7-- Was Karenga a Seventh Day Adventist cult member, or just a Marxist? Please let us know. Cheers!

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

What's a Karenga? Not keeping up with what the latest Marxists are doing. Everyone deserves a second chance and that's what's so very cruel about labeling.

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

Sorry to be so late getting in on all this fun you are having. I've been out living a life. Well, I took the time to watch the video of Dr. Carson's speech and, frankly, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I thought it was an average speech, I have certainly heard worse but have listened to many that were better in both subject matter and presentation. Unlike some here, I didn't find it overly inspirational. I'm one who doesn't like to mix religion with politics. I saw no indication that the President "looked none too pleased", as Mr. Cutler suggested and Mrs. Obama was not in the shot for almost all of the speech, so I fail to see how Mr. Cutler could say she "seemed to get it". Mr. Sessions stared at the speaker with little to no reaction almost the entire speech, yet Mr. Cutler says he also "gets it". As for the subject matter, like all speeches, you are supposed to start off with a joke to loosen up the audience and close with a joke to send them on their way with a smile on their face. Dr. Carson did both, using tired old jokes most everyone had already heard. I tend to agree with the need to change the tax code and would have no problem having his idea be one of several to consider. I think his suggestion on health care was completly lacking in merit. You can have all the health savings accounts you want, people are not going to voluntarily put money into them each month. I also don't see where the "big pile of money" comes from to put into poor peoples health savings accounts. For a doctor to suggest such a poorly thought out idea makes you question how smart he really is. Oh wait, he was smart. He presented an advertisement for you to buy his recent book, which was most likely the reason he gave the speech in the first place. I'll bet he did the same in the other four speeches he gave that week as well as during his interview on Fox News.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Fine JimRussell44. As it stands, the President didn't say it so it must be no good. I like his take on medical care, and on the deficit. Oh, thats right, the deficit is something that is needed, l forgot. Well, l guess that if there are no plans that make sense to any of the left leaning side of our population, l guess we just go down the drain. It's OK, our country used to be really good, but with where we are headed, it really would not be worth saving. If this is going to be the left's response to a plan, so be it. Best Wishes.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

There have been a lot of comments in this thread about PBS being liberal and biased, but no one has come up with a single reason to support such an opinion. That is because PBS is politically neutral. The only reason anyone might think otherwise is because Rush Limbaugh has labeled PBS/NPR as “liberal.” Even though Robert Levy, Chairman of the Republican Party of Moore County, has declared that “Rush is the core of the conservative soul of the Republican Party,” the fact is that Limbaugh is a radio talk-show host. He is an entertainer, not a political philosopher. His intent is not to inform. His gig is to incite. To that end, he lies and bends the truth until he can incite his listeners enough to call in because that is how his show is graded by his sponsors. The reason PBS needs support from its listeners and the government is because it provides quality programming, commercial-free.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

kzowens, as l said the other day, we use public radio MUCH more around here than anywhere else down south. In the bush community, many villages ONLY have PBS. It is the ONLY radio station that is received. They get everything off of it. Even with that important use, it should NEVER be a govt. function!! This is NOT a Constitutional use of govt funding.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

The CIA funded RADIO FREE EUROPE but I've never heard any "outrage" from the right at any time about those government funds. Why is the hypocrisy so rampant with you guys?

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukonjohn, you certainly have Rush down pat.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

"so I fail to see how Mr. Cutler could say she "seemed to get it". Jim Russell

She seemed to get it based on the number of times she applauded his comments, while he looked typically disinterested.

"The reason PBS needs support from its listeners and the government is because it provides quality programming, commercial-free." kzowens

Stand clear, a logician at work!

Do corporations sponsor PBS's quality programming for purely altruistic reasons, or do they do it so that viewers will connect brand awareness and be more likely to buy those products? Sponsor/advertiser...advertiser/sponsor...is there a difference?

dentman65 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon-hope you are well! I don't claim to understand our constitution well yet, but I am really trying hard. It is still very confusing to me in many areas so I try and gain insight from these threads to help me better understand it. With that said, you had stated earlier that the funds alloted to PBS were an unconstitutional use of government funding if I understood it correctly. I am not sure either way. But I ran across this article block that confused me on what is appropriate use of government funding for things such as PBS. Maybe this board can read it and let us know if it is bunk,,,, From Gary D. Barnett - "Our rights to life and liberty are evident from the time of our very existence. These rights encompass all others, for without the right to life, and the freedom to sustain and protect that life; no other rights could possibly exist. Pieces of paper secretly drafted by politicians in the dark of night cannot give or protect rights, as those same politicians, or those who follow in their footsteps, could arbitrarily change the rules at any time of their choosing. For any set of rules to be valid, they first have to be accepted voluntarily by the individuals involved, and actively defended at every turn. But today, those individuals affected rely on a small group of corrupt politicians called "representatives," to act in their behalf, instead of taking responsibility for their own lot in life. As I see it, the U.S. Constitution is one of the most misunderstood documents in history. Even though it is filled with contradictions, it is accepted and revered by most all in America. As I have said many times in the past, it is literally worshiped in this country. This attitude has obviously gone unrewarded, but it is also telling of the success of the indoctrination process that has been going on for the past 200 plus years.

The most prevalent belief it seems is that the constitution somehow miraculously limits the power of government. One reading of Article 1, Section 8, should dispel such nonsensical thinking. The first three clauses of that article alone should scare the living daylights out of any who believe in such a thing as limited government.

Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

This clause alone negates any notion of limited government. This gives Congress an unlimited power to tax, something that was not possible before the drafting of the constitution. It gives Congress an unlimited power to provide for the common defense. It gives Congress an unlimited power to provide for the general welfare. With no limits mentioned, and language this broad and sweeping, it is no wonder that the massive abuse of power in this country has been evident for so long."

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

In the old days of television, you'll remember that ABC, CBS and NBC often opened their shows with "Gunsmoke...brought to you by...." Yet none of those stations, that I recall, were viewer supported. If PBS is to continue receiving this support, then shouldn't all stations receive an equal share? If not, then that support should be taken away.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff: "Do corporations sponsor PBS's quality programming for purely altruistic reasons, or do they do it so that viewers will connect brand awareness...?

The foundations probably do it for tax write-offs for charity contributions--just like the listener contributions are tax deductible--if you make enough money. I've never noticed anything that might resembles "brand awareness." I think that is a 'no, no.'

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Okay, that makes perfect sense. Never mind.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff: Back in the early days of TV, programs (like Gunsmoke) were sponsored by a single sponsor, a large corporation. And it was nice that there were not constant interrupitons for commercials. That not the case anymore.

One of the reasons I like PBS and NPR is so that I don't have to listen to all the commercials. Maybe that's one of real reasons Republicans (who seem to reflect the desires of corporations) do not like PBS--I mean other than the fact that Rush Limbaugh calls PBS/NPR "liberal"--even though the fact is that PBS/NPR is politically neutral.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Mr. Owens, if you cannot admit that there is leftist bias at PBS, or that being a sponsor is a form of advertising, (and a good one, just look at football or golf), there's no where to go in this conversation. Before two sides can get anywhere in any argument, the playing field must be leveled by intellectual honesty, but you refuse that.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

"Intellectual Honesty". What a concept Geoff, so here's the HONEST TRUTH. LEARNING is actually a LIBERAL ENDEAVOR. Why were people in the past (though this still sadly happens in this world) kept from being taught how to read? The Priest's and Monk's kept the ability to read and write to themsleves to keep the "masses" controlled and stupid. The defintion of CONSERVATIVE is all one needs to make this perfectlly clear. According to Webster's, "Conservative: tending or disposed to maintaining existing views, conditions or institutions." Somewhere along the line though people got fed up with being CONTROLLED and wanted to live and learn in ways that were in opposition to those who were in control. It's surrprising that you and others really don't get this. Or maybe you do because you are one those types who want to control others. Actually I guess that's it since you declare yourself a conservative.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff: Honestly, there is no leftist bias at PBS. No one on this thread has given a single example to support such a view. Being a sponsor is not a form of advertising. As a matter of fact, the foundations that support PBS do not have products to advertise. They are humanitarian in concept. There is no credible analogy to golf or football or anything else that is funded by commercials. Football, basketball and others even have official TV timeouts--which the teams count on.

You can't level the playing field by spouting crap that you get from Rush Limbaugh. You really need out of the rut you've fallen into.

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

MoonChild: "The Priest's and Monk's kept the ability to read and write to themselves to keep the "masses" controlled and “stupid."

Ain't it the truth, and it is sad that it is still happening today--especially in religious cults and in North Carolina.

geoffcutler 3 months, 1 week ago

Well, Have it your way, then. No leftist bias at PBS. No right leaners at FOX, either. I don't listen to Limbaugh

kzowens 3 months, 1 week ago

geoff: Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Republican and conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg indicated his belief that Fox News was rightward-leaning: "Look, I think liberals have reasonable gripes with Fox News. It does lean to the right, primarily in its opinion programming but also in its story selection (which is fine by me) and elsewhere. But it's worth remembering that Fox is less a bastion of ideological conservatism and more a populist, tabloid-like network. Fox News host Bill O'Reilly has stated that "Fox does tilt right" (although he states this in specific reference to the coverage of the Iraq war, not FNC's coverage in general), but that the network does not "actively campaign or try to help Bush-Cheney." On Sean Hannity's show in August 2012, Ann Coulter made remarks to Hannity regarding a media blunder made by Romney spokeswoman, Andrea Saul. Coulter suggested Hannity's show worked to elect Republican candidates.

JimRussell44 3 months, 1 week ago

Geoff Cutler, If your definition of "leftist bias" is based on the fact that news programs on PBS do not attack and slander the institution that runs this country, then maybe from that viewpoint, YOU could see it as leftist bias. Everyone else sees it as being neutral and objective.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

Dentman, I am no Constitutional scholar, not by any means. I do have a layman's knowledge of it, and have done some study. At the time the our nation was being founded, and the Constitution written, it became apparent to some of our founding fathers that it would never pass ratification unless this huge new govt. that had been established were to be limited. James Madison brought forth 10 Amendments that "spelled out" personal freedoms and limitations of the govt. That said, l would feel that the 10th Amendment would supersede the passage that you quoted. It is a simple amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I hope this might clear it up some. To me, this is one of the most important Amendments that exist. The most important being the 2nd, as it protects all other Amendments.

Yukonjohn 3 months, 1 week ago

That quote printed weird on my computer. It cuts off the most important part.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

I just emailed this column to my son in NYC as he "rests" on this Sunday. We were also talking about my sister (his Aunt) in CT with 30" of snow and how the roads won't be cleared for 10 days. Anyway, I asked him his opinion and his response? He blames "Non-Progressives" for a lot of our problems and especially when it comes to our falling so far behind in improving infrastructure. He said that there just shouldn't be anymore above ground power lines that can be destroyed during storms. I told him that back in the 60's the "Views of the Future" were that we would be flying around in cars, walking on moving sidewalks and all power lines WOULD be undergraound. I think the Conservatives who wanted things to be kept as they were, did just that. Kept things in the '50's and 60's. Oh and just FYI, while visiting with him a couple of weeks ago I had to watch PBS and listen to NPR since he doesn't have cable tv or a Sirius radio. I LEARNED a lot and really got little to no political talk. Sesame Street is still a good show.

dentman65 3 months, 1 week ago

Yukon,,,thanks. That does help a lot. I was afraid that from what I had read, the government had the right to tax, and spend money on ANY program it saw fit to as long as it was to improve or protect the "WELFARE" (huge word) of the citizens, IF that was the case basically they had a blank check and could do whatever they wanted. But you have explained that the other amendments sort of check and balance this. Stay warm! Make it a great day!

fugitiveguy 3 months, 1 week ago

"He blames "Non-Progressives" for a lot of our problems and especially when it comes to our falling so far behind in improving infrastructure."

Now there's a shocker.

Courseaire 3 months, 1 week ago

The Northeast was crippled by a mass snowstorm this weekend. It was reported on CNN & MSNBC that the storm was caused by the "Non-Progressives".

moonchild7 3 months, 1 week ago

So funny Courseaire. I really like your sense of humor. A few more people need to try to develop one. And fugitiveguy, while "My son" is "My son" he definately thinks for himself and we don't agree on everything. He said he'll never register with the Democratic Party or go to church. Even I've attended church services many times.

Narrow-Minded Thinking

More like this story

Comments