I'm disappointed. And I'm plain mad, friend – but I am not surprised.
Because as Donald Trump abuses his power to crack down on our First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press, he's on a warpath to take down PBS and NPR next.
If this is the first you're hearing of this, let me catch you up:
1. Since Day One, Trump's second administration has shamelessly extorted media, educational, and legal institutions that report information he feels threatened by – or simply dislikes – by illegally withholding federal funding.
2. Then, in May, he signed an executive order to slash public funding for PBS and NPR, accusing the outlets of taking "millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda."
(I suppose that "woke" now means lifesaving emergency alerts for rural communities with spotty cell service, impartial and non-sensational reporting, and beloved educational programs like "Sesame Street," and Ken Burns' documentaries.)
3. So when he and Project 2025-architect-turned-Cabinet-member Russ Vought proposed zeroing out funding to all local public broadcasting stations through 2027, House Republicans passed a bill to do just that.
So now the bill is coming to the Senate floor next week. I'll do everything I can to block this bill, but I need your help to drum up public pressure, friend.
Fortunately, a recent survey found that by a two-to-one margin, the American people overwhelmingly favor continuing federal funding for NPR and PBS.But with the deck clearly stacked in Trump's favor, it's going to take everyone who feels that way to make their voices heard.
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