Republicans Take Aim at NPR's Funding in Prank Video's Wake
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His desire for NPR to survive solely on private funding is just fine with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), who said the "disturbing video" proves that federal funds aren't essential to public radio's survival. Last month the House voted to de-fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but the Senate is still deliberating. The Daily Caller reports:
“As we continue to identify ways to cut spending and save valuable resources, this disturbing video makes clear that taxpayer dollars should no longer be appropriated to NPR,” Cantor said in an e-mail to TheDC. “Not only have top public broadcasting executives finally admitted that they do not need taxpayer dollars to survive, it is also clear that without federal funds, public broadcasting stations self-admittedly would become eligible for more private dollars on top of the multi-million dollar donations these organizations already receive.”
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) concurred, saying “We agree that NPR and PBS would be fine without taxpayer subsidies.”
The video was captured by conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe, who deployed two colleagues, posing as Muslim Brotherhood members, to offer to donate $5 million to NPR over lunch with Schiller and Betsy Liley, NPR’s director of institutional giving. NPR reports:
"In the video, Schiller and NPR institutional giving director Betsy Liley are at lunch in Washington with two Project Veritas "investigative reporters" identified as Shaughn Adeleye and Simon Templar, who posed as "Ibrahim Kasaam and Amir Malik." They were allegedly interested in having their organization donate $5 million to NPR. O'Keefe's organization says the recording was made on Feb. 22."
In the video, Schiller made several comments tinged with liberal bias, including:
- The "Tea Party people" aren’t “just Islamophobic, but really xenophobic, I mean basically they are, they believe in sort of white, middle-America gun-toting. I mean, it’s scary. They’re seriously racist, racist people.”
- “In my personal opinion, liberals today might be more educated, fair and balanced than conservatives."
Early in the conversation Schiller said he was "taking off" his NPR hat and was speaking candidly. NPR quickly denounced the statements and said Schiller has not been involved in editorial decisions
"We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for," said spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm.
Schiller notes that although some local stations "would go dark" without federal funding, "most stations" would survive. But NPR CEO Vivian Schiller (no relation) gave the opposite impression, saying at a press conference, "We take [federal defunding] very, very seriously. It would have a profound impact we believe on our ability - of public broadcasting's ability - to deliver news and information."
Some mainstream news sites agree, saying that freedom from government money means greater editorial independence and less tip-toeing around political issues. According to the Boston Globe,
"The federal funding may help the bottom line, but it also ensures NPR will continually find itself in the political crosshairs — as it has been since Republicans took control of the House. Already, in fact, the public radio tag is a bit of misnomer, since NPR receives only a miniscule amount of federal money. Most public broadcasting expenditures instead go to member stations — which, in turn, send some of it back to NPR in the form of station fees. In all, taxpayer money accounts for less than 10 percent of NPR's budget."
The New York Times' Media Decoder writes that NPR is no stranger to controversy. Last fall the station dismissed Juan Williams, a news analyst, for making Islamophobic comments on Fox News. (Coincidentally, in the video Schiller said he was also "proud of" NPR's decision to can Williams.) Now it seems Williams might be capitalizing on the prank:
"[After the firing,] Fox promptly gave Mr. Williams a new contract. Mr. Williams is scheduled to talk about Mr. Schiller’s comments Tuesday night on “Hannity,” one of the prime time programs on Fox News."
Comments
It's ironic that the left here (NPR) would suggest turning down Govt. funding.
Why is it that liberals insist on making blanket statements about the motives of their political opposites? Really? You know what's in our heart and it's all evil? Do you really think the other third of America is some kind of symbiotic rich greedy corporate villan slash ignorant racist white bafoon entity? These hateful generalizations say more about your character than anything you could fantasize about your opponents. Why don't you stop being so damn simple and engage your reasoning in more than rationalizing your emotional need to counteract Darwinism.
Why does it take undercover reporters to confirm what everyone already knows. Everyone knows there are a plethora of non-governmental organizations performing partisan political services using federal dollars. These organizations seem to be working exclusively towards progressive political goals so there is not a lot of bipartisan political agreement on doing anything about it. That's a pretty good deal if you are a Democrat. In these times when we are trying to defund corporate and and agricultural subsidies and tax breaks, it is a little disingenuous to argue funds towards their pet political projects are insignificant yet justifiable expenditures. There are hundreds of lawmakers in congress each sponsoring countless "worthy" earmarks to our federal deficit. The only way to tackle this looming federal budget catastrophe is to take a principled stand on what deserves our tax dollars. The looting of the taxpayers wallet has to end.
And proud to take your money I might add. If your going to give away mine, I'll steal yours legally with a government hand out. Enjoy being in charge as the world goes down the toilet.
How bout those gas prices Obama? How bout that intetest rate that will soon be APR? How bout the border?
How bout those "illegal" guns that football players use to shoot themselves in the leg?
How bout not being such a hypocrite and whiner.... do you have a solution?
How bout this, the Conservative Republicans cut the Government spending by paying back that 100 Trillion to China, put all World Aid in the toilet, and send every American in uniform back home to defend the Nation as intended. Until you stop this war for globalization and bra burning liberalism,the hypocrite calling stands. I might even go so far as Proletarian..?.?.?.?.?...
Liberals are pissed because they know they are not the majority in the country. Now they have all resorted to name calling. Bye Bye Liberals, you can move the fuck to Canada for all we care.
From that unintelligible jumble of ignorant rambling, I'd guess you're one of the close to 50% of the people in this country who pay NO taxes. Perhaps that should be rectified. It would certainly be more fair than raising the taxes of those who already pay most (in actual dollars) of that collected.
Saying taxes should be raised on the "rich" is as ignorant as saying the oil companies make "obscene profits". Since their profit margin is less than the vast majority of industries, this is also nothing but misinformation from the liberals. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid, and wake up.
Is nobody upset at the fact that they chose to disguise themselves as Arabs for this "investigation"? That says it all, right there.
You really dont get it do you. Those super rich Americans can easily take their earnings and their jobs to another country and be far better off. You have to make some sacrafices to make some gains. That is just the way things work.
His comments on the TEA Party and republican is general are accurate. Tea party ignorant racists and the Republican party rich folks who dont care about anyone but themselves.
They failed to mention his anti-semitic comments