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First things first: gut NPR!

National Public Radio is one of the gems of our society,
offering a broad spectrum of cultural, scientific, artistic
music, social observation, news and commentary.
It offers intelligent, moderate, and interesting points of view.

Recently, Juan Williams, who was a commentator for the network,
said on the network that he understood the fear many people have
when they see people in what seems to be typical Islamic garb
boarding an airplane, for instance.  Whatever Juan Williams
intended with his remarks, it did nothing to calm the obvious
Islaamophobia all around us.  NPR decided to fire Williams.

Fifteen percent of the funds needed to keep NPR on the air
come from government subsidies.  Years ago, it was decided
that the nation needed a public network like NPR as a moderate,
non-partisan voice of reason and culture.  Most of the funding
for the network comes from what seems to most of us to be
all-too-frequent private pleas for support.  It has to be done.

The very first formal proposal of the newly elected Republican
majority in the House of Representatives was to cut off all
public funding for NPR.  As Peter Hoekstra (R., Michigan)
said, NPR isn't his first choice of a radio station, anyway.
He prefers to listen to Fox Radio.  Imagine that!

House leader, Eric Cantor, had a much more delicate way
of finessing the proposed evisceration:  he said that it was not
government's place to tell a news organization how to do its job.
He wants to cut off all the money because NPR is partisan.

Cantor isn't partisan.  He speaks from a fair and balanced
position way over there on the far right; over there where
you can see Juan Williams.  And the Tea Party.  Glenn Beck.
Bill O'Reilly.  Rush Limbaugh.  Those moderate guys.

You have to commend the Republicans for buckling right down
to work.  Try to kill NPR!  They will get around to jobs and
the deficit, ending the wars, unemployment, and a budget later.
Pretty soon now.  First things first!  Maybe find work for
Christine O'Donnell and Sharron Angle.  Jobs, you know!

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