Public or Private? - In

Public or Private? - In yesterday's lutefisking of Keillor, I said that Keillor had had plenty of public financing to get to where he's at.

An NPR personality (who shall remain nameless) sent me some facets to NPR's funding that I hadn't been completely aware of.

Now, another emailer shows me another side of the issue:

I wouldn't cave in so quickly on the issue of taxpayer support for NPR, MPR or public broadcasting in general. They are supported by taxpayers. Their burden comes as a result of NPR's non-profit status.

Contributions to NPR are tax-deductible, which means money normally headed for the coffers of the U.S. government end up in public radio. The result is that non-contributing taxpayers, who may not agree with the politics of NPR (such as myself) are forced to take up the slack when it comes to providing tax revenue to the federal government. Sure the same is true for churches and other non-profits, but at least they are prohibited from taking political stands. NPR is too, but their contempt for business, Republicans and conservatives is palpable in virtually every aspect of their news coverage.

The fact that Keillor's work is funded by an endowment set up from profits from his book means nothing. If the rest of MPR was not supported by taxpayers, that endowment would not exist, because the money would be spent.

Keillor sucks at the public teat and he sucks it hard, just like Moyers, who also mistrusts the public that supports him. My nipples are raw and with his attack on Coleman and Republicans, they're bruised as well. It's one thing to suck hard at the teat, it's another thing to bite.

He also sent this link to MPR's fund-raising site, which shows the extent to which pledges and donations are tax-deductible.

OK. Let me rephrase:

Keillor, whose career started in an institution (M/NPR-affiliated radio) that owes its existence to public support - some directly or indirectly via taxes, and a lot directly via public subscription and corporate underwriting - and who lives in a city, county, state and nation that's populated by people that have a God-given right to agree or disagree with his politics, seems to seethe with contempt for his fellow citizen. He shows it in his writings, his behavior, his admitted revulsion for his fellow Minnesotans' free choice made at the polls last week.

Always great to get your emails - keep 'em coming!

Posted by Mitch at November 15, 2002 10:33 AM