House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Adam Freedman ·
Mar 17, 2011 at 6:48pm
The House has voted to defund NPR, pace Rep. Weiner (see Diane's post below). It's a good idea, but the bill only goes half way. It would simply block the government's "Corporation for Public Broadcasting" from directing funds to NPR. But it leaves the CPB intact.
Why on earth should there be a government-owned Corporation for Public Broadcasting? Remind me: which enumerated power authorizes the government to subsidize broadcasting of any sort?
I'm with those House Republicans who want to eliminate CPB entirely.
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May '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Commerce clause, evidently.
Sep '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Does this mean that NPR can change its name, and maybe alter its organization, and then reapply for federal funds through CPB with another name?
Feb '11
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Adam Freedman:
Why on earth should there be a government-owned Corporation for Public Broadcasting? Remind me: which enumerated power authorizes the government to subsidize broadcasting of any sort?
Adam: The enumerated-powers dogma is outdated by 200 years+. By that standard Alexander Hamilton wouldn't have established the National Bank nor gotten the early debt crisis under control.
Implied powers, Adam. Funding NPR, NOVA and Nature, etc. falls clearly under that auspice... This is why it's clear that infinite socialism is the necessary and proper outcome of US history. Why fight it? Let's embrace it. What standard is there to dispute it, when our own history proves that, in fact, there are few if any objective, historical standards by which to constrain Federal bloat and power?
Socialism is a fact. The argument is over the optimal level. Seems to me that arguing on cost-benefit terms, not enumerated-powers or constructionism premises, is the only way to scale back the spending.
Sep '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Blocking funding for NPR while leaving CPB intact feeds the narrative that this was all politics. Instead, the GOP should be making a philosophical argument against using public funds for what ultimately should be a private company.
Is the GOP really serious about cutting spending? Continuing to fund CPB leads me to believe they aren't.
Edited on Mar 17, 2011 at 9:56pmMay '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
I can find no justification for the over $400 million the CPB subsidy requires, of which $170 million is borrowed.NPR is just an obnoxious part of an absurd whole.
Having said that, this action by the House is pure political theater, designed to impress those bitter clingers that they are actually doing something when they are not. The bill has about as great a chance of being enacted as I do of becoming pregnant (60 year old male). IF it were attached to the CR and IF I felt they would actually stick to their guns, I would feel better.
This $400M + planned parenthood + a few others, should be the minimum price of Senate and Administration procrastination of participation - not a PR opportunity to impress the unwashed masses.
Jan '11
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Now I know that Mr. Long & Co. keep telling me this is a site for center-right politics but in addition to defunding CPB and its bastard off-spring I'd like to get a show of hands from the group showing support/no support for eliminating entire Departments (we'll start with the old standby Education and can progress from there).
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
But Adam, if they fix it all before 2012, why vote for them again? They are now just teasing us.
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Pike Bishop: Now I know that Mr. Long & Co. keep telling me this is a site for center-right politics but in addition to defunding CPB and its bastard off-spring I'd like to get a show of hands from the group showing support/no support for eliminating entire Departments (we'll start with the old standby Education and can progress from there). · Mar 17 at 10:59pm
You betchya! Starting with any Department attempting to exert regulatory authority over the Internet, the American classroom, domestic commerce, carbon dioxide, or funding community organizers. Also intend to defund any activity supporting Islam or the establishment and maintenance of Sharia. Saw where a Representative today offered up four whole Departments to kick off the conversation. (Paul Ryan?) I'm sure the Dems will offer up a couple more just to show they are acting in the spirit.
Those safe districts are fewer than they used to be.
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
John Doba
Adam Freedman:
Why on earth should there be a government-owned Corporation for Public Broadcasting? Remind me: which enumerated power authorizes the government to subsidize broadcasting of any sort?
Adam: The enumerated-powers dogma is outdated by 200 years+. By that standard Alexander Hamilton wouldn't have established the National Bank nor gotten the early debt crisis under control.
...
Socialism is a fact. The argument is over the optimal level. Seems to me that arguing on cost-benefit terms, not enumerated-powers or constructionism premises, is the only way to scale back the spending. · Mar 17 at 9:32pm
Republic or tyranny, republic or tyranny. The Constitution was always going to be argued over. Jefferson's vision was too constrained, Hamilton's too dangerous. The notion that Congress will be bound by cost-benefit arguments to the extent necessary to avoid the fiscal meltdown that the socialist-Europeans have slammed smack into, is wishful thinking. With an overweening federal government we are cruising for a fiscal and political fracture that will literally divide the country, as Madison feared. Large republics mean civil war. As a prudent federation of 50 republics, we provide a marketplace of polities instead.
Republics!
Dec '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Steve MacDonald has this right, this was a complete farce, anyway. The House knows there is zero chance of this legislation getting through the Senate, or Obama, so this was a complete waste of time. The only way anything controversial is going to get through until after 2012 is if it is attached to something "must Pass", like a CR or raising the debt ceiling.
Here's an interesting mini-debate on this very subject wherein a House appropriator tries to blow smoke up Hugh Hewitt's rear over this silly effort and...it doesn't go to well for Rep. Jack Kingston.
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
CJRun: Steve MacDonald has this right, this was a complete farce, anyway. The House knows there is zero chance of this legislation getting through the Senate, or Obama, so this was a complete waste of time. The only way anything controversial is going to get through until after 2012 is if it is attached to something "must Pass", like a CR or raising the debt ceiling.
Here's an interesting mini-debate on this very subject wherein a House appropriator tries to blow smoke up Hugh Hewitt's rear over this silly effort and...it doesn't go to well for Rep. Jack Kingston. · Mar 18 at 3:16am
This is about getting Senators on the record voting against, or the President on the record vetoing. Proving that their attitude toward the whole fiscal crisis is not at all serious.
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Does anyone else see the Republicans frittering away the momentum the last election gave them? Boehner has been in Washington so long he sees the tea party wing of the party as less congenial than his friends across the aisle. No wonder the House Democrats are smirking. The Stupid Party manages to cut spending $6 billion on a day when the interest on the national debt goes up $72 billion.
Mar '11
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
*Waving hand and butt-hopping in my seat*
Said it before, I'll say it again: We don't need cuts, we need a congress and a president willing to walk through the gangrenous stench and amputate.
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Sisyphus
You betchya! Starting with any Department attempting to exert regulatory authority over the Internet, the American classroom, domestic commerce, carbon dioxide, or funding community organizers. Also intend to defund any activity supporting Islam or the establishment and maintenance of Sharia. Saw where a Representative today offered up four whole Departments to kick off the conversation. (Paul Ryan?) I'm sure the Dems will offer up a couple more just to show they are acting in the spirit.
Those safe districts are fewer than they used to be. · Mar 18 at 1:22am
Count me in: Education, Energy, Transportation, HHS, HUD ... shut it down. Admittedly CPB is small, but it's a start.
May '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Sisyphus
CJRun: Steve MacDonald has this right, this was a complete farce, anyway. The House knows there is zero chance of this legislation getting through the Senate, or Obama, so this was a complete waste of time. The only way anything controversial is going to get through until after 2012 is if it is attached to something "must Pass", like a CR or raising the debt ceiling.
Here's an interesting mini-debate on this very subject wherein a House appropriator tries to blow smoke up Hugh Hewitt's rear over this silly effort and...it doesn't go to well for Rep. Jack Kingston. · Mar 18 at 3:16am
This is about getting Senators on the record voting against, or the President on the record vetoing. Proving that their attitude toward the whole fiscal crisis is not at all serious. · Mar 18 at 5:56am
if that was the way that this and other sham bills were marketed to the public, I would count your point as valid and the effort perhaps worthwhile. However, these things are presented to the voters as a great achievement/advance, with the operating assumption that we are stupid enough to buy it.
Jul '10
Re: House Gets it Half Right on NPR
Steve MacDonald if that was the way that this and other sham bills were marketed to the public, I would count your point as valid and the effort perhaps worthwhile. However, these things are presented to the voters as a great achievement/advance, with the operating assumption that we are stupid enough to buy it.
Compared to 2007-2010, these are great achievement and advances. This is not at all the sort of thing the House was doing a year ago. Each of these bills puts lawmakers on the record on key issues. The whining now coming from the Dems about the lack of budget leadership from Obama is blame shifting in the face of a new political season that looks to be even more productive in retaking the Senate. Every brag about a hallmark bill passed by the House puts pressure on the Senate and President to get on board.
The GOP has more personalities than Linda Blair in the Exorcist, there are the old guard, the freshman, the Tea Partiers, the country clubbers, the born again, the social conservatives, the libertarians, etcetera. And the opposition media pressing interesting lies.
This is what a deadlocked government looks like.