I believe in mercy killings.

Well, my last post appears too cerebral for this crowd.

Therefore, I give you something you can relate to.

Enjoy.

I have to say it: I’m hanging my head in shame. I, like thousands of others, received my MoveOn.org email asking me to save Public TV and NPR from the $100 million+ in cuts in funding this Republic congress and administration were pushing. I reflected on my experience with public television, from learning to read and expanding my vocabulary as a young ‘un by watching Sesame Street, to learning about the universe that surrounds us through the musings of Jack Horkheimer. I dutifully signed the petition, adding my own note of indignant outrage at the thought of slashing funding to a beloved educational and information institution.

Then I watched ‘Journal Editorial Report’.

I watched a group of conservatives rant about the evils of taxation, and the wonderful nature of a law like Colorado’s TABOR (TAxpayers’ Bill Of Rights) that restricts state spending and forces any surplus to be returned to the taxpayers. I must admit, this sounds nice, and the merits of such a law were repeatedly touted by the panel. Then one panel member talked about how wasteful governments are, and how they just spend and spend and spend, and how this would quickly lead to ruin in the private sector. Yet, there was no discussion about how the laws that regulate department spending under state law generally require that a department or division spend all of its operating budget, or risk losing the unspent sum in next year’s budget. It strikes me that *this* is where the evil of state government spending lies. Think about it; government agencies/entities are NEVER rewarded for saving money. While enrolled in a state university, I worked in an agricultural research lab, and the lab director was 1) very good at his research, and 2) very, very good at securing funding for his research. About two months before the end of the fiscal year, I vivedly recall our lab director poking his head into our computer room and asking what else he could buy–after all, he said, if he didn’t spend all his funding he would lose it next year. Private enterprise never operates this way; private industry rewards managers for going under budget, for working with fewer staff, for cutting costs. State (and Federal) agencies reward managers for meeting their budget, for expanding their departments, for expanding their spending. THIS is where the real problem lies.

I have a novel idea: lets let government programs save money, and every year put some portion of their money in a trust (ie an investment into enterprise and the private sector, which will generate revenue). A person can become financially independent by developing investments that generate more income than are spent on expenses by this individual every month. If my monthly expenses total $3000, but my investments are generating $5000 each month in new money, I could quit my job and live just fine, without any cut in my standard of living. Why don’t we let government agencies do the same thing? You will not lose money in the stock market IFF (if and only if) you a) diversify your investments, placing them in reputable companies with proven track records, and b) leave your money there for a long time. If we let government agencies do the same thing, perhaps in 50 years or so many of them could become totally self sufficient, generating more revenue each month than their monthly expendetures require. Maybe we really could end taxation altogether.

But did any of these Conservative, money-minded panelists discuss such an approach? Did they in fact hold an interesting and informative discourse on the problems with government taxation and allocation? No. They touted the Republican Party Line at every turn.

I watched the only ethnic minority on the show being corrected for his mistaken moderate thinking at every turn by blathering RepublicHeads who spouted the party line. For example, when the topic turned to the Constitutional Amendment to outlaw flag burning, and our diversified guest commented that while flag-burning might be offensive, and that congress has much bigger fish to fry this year, and that the Supreme Court had already ruled on this issue as being protected by the First Amendment, our TalkingHead moderator simply quipped, “Well, that *was* a 5-4 decision, and I think this is Congress’ way of saying, ‘Stay off our turf!’” Because only Congress can certainly rule on what is Constitutional, and what is not. Oh, wait, only a REPUBLICAN Congress could rule that. Were it a Democrat Congress, I’m sure they would be absolutely one-hundred percent bass-ackwards on what IS and what is NOT Constitutional. Damn Liberals! Furthermore, our ‘fair and balanced’ moderator made his comments, then immediately cut to another subject. No rebuttal, no discourse on the subject, just a shouting out of the party line. It’s like Propaganda 101 for Repubilcans. “What, Public TV is a waste of money? No it’s not, you can learn how to skool them Liberals in any debate!”

I watched The Machine wax philosophic on the speech and “supposed” apology made by Senator Richard Durbin, regarding his feelings surrounding the conditions to which the prisoners at Gitmo are subjected. One mouthpiece pointed out that Congressmen must be “injected” with something when they get elected that prevents them from admitting they have stepped over the line and were wrong. Yes. We have never, ever had such horrible statements spill from the lips of our Republican brothers. I for one welcome our new masters.

So here I am, yelling at the TV, actually PISSED OFF at public TV, when my calmer, more understanding better half calmly pointed out that THIS drivel was supposed to be the balanced retort to Bill Moyer’s “Now”, which many, many Republicans view as a slanted liberal attack on conservative values. Balanced? Wouldn’t it have been balanced if they actually left Bill Moyers ON his show, then spouted off this inane nonesense? Then, at least, BOTH liberals and conservatives would have something to bitch about. Ah, but there were years of attacks to be made up for, were there not? So instead, Bill Moyers (who I would personally vote for in half a heartbeat–Elect Bill Moyers ‘Now’!) is forced off the air, replaced my a much more moderate journalist who does not offend Republican sensibilities, AND we are made to suffer these new fools on Journal Editorial Report. Balanced? I think not.

So now I hang my head in deep, deep shame. If THIS is what Public Television is to become, perhaps I should have shut my trap and let it die.

A cool flash game I wasted hours on yesterday…

And what kind of dog are you?

Okay, this is freakin’ cool! Can you find the < *}}}>< ?