I depend on NPR and my local public radio station, WAMU for news and entertainment. I recognize, though, that there are many people who consider NPR anathema. Now, I think they're misinformed--and for those willing to listen, I'll take the time to explain why. That said, I cannot reconcile myself to a moral position that says that I have a right to enjoy NPR programming at their expense.
I often tell people that the way out of our budget troubles is not by taking potshots at programs we oppose, but rather to look at programs that we support--and propose cutting them anyway.
For my part, I'll double my total giving to public broadcasting for 2011.
I send them money and have a principled position that they oughtn't be funded on the taxpayer dollar.
This has nothing to do with the political leanings of their programming. John Batchelor (whom I commend to you if you are interested in such things) has a nightly syndicated news magazine format show that leans about as far to the right as ATC leans to the left, which is to say "not very". He doesn't get public funding. Fox doesn't. CNN doesn't. ABC doesn't.
There are a lot of good things in the world that depend on individual initiative, and they're stifled in what they can do if they have to kiss up to the government for money. NPR is one of 'em.
And even though people on the right *and* the left's heads explode every time they hear us say it, "Support generously, and wean them off the government dole - this is NPR, National _PUBLIC_ Radio" ;-)
earnest