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Now I've heard it all. I mean, I already know our gov't funds ridiculous studies like the one(s) on Chinese prostitutes (really, no kidding), but now I hear on NPR we've been funding Sesame Street in Israel and Palestine and now we've cut the funding to Palestine for the show. (Something like $2.5 million for each).
Not going to comment on the Palestine move, but I'd like to know where else in the world we are funding Sesame Street and other TV shows, all while our Social Security system and Medicare, etc. plus help for the poor in our own country is headed down the tubes. Am I on the right planet?
The United States has cancelled funding for Pakistan's version of the children's television series "Sesame Street," saying it had received credible allegations of fraud and corruption in the production of the popular Muppet programme.
Imagine that.
Toner said USAID had originally allocated $20 million to produce the show -- which premiered in late 2011 and is known as "Sim Sim Hamara" in Pakistan -- and that about $6.7 million of this had already been spent.
Probably won't be getting a refund on that. We kinda need the loot right now.
Sesame Street has made millions and millions if not billions of dollars over the last 40 years. The franchise alone should be able to support PBS and it's spread into other countries.
Sesame Street has made millions and millions if not billions of dollars over the last 40 years. The franchise alone should be able to support PBS and it's spread into other countries.
Why should they? when they can get our brain dead leaders to fork over the loot. If Big Bird wants to go global let him do it on his own dime, as noted they have millions.
Sesame Street is used as a peace-making mission in countries where there's ethnic conflict. Local community leaders have major input into the show adaptation so that it meets the unique needs of the society receiving the show. Bosnian, Serbian and Kosovar community activists all had input into the show's adaptation for the former Yugoslavia, and each ethnicity was represented in the show. (Working on the show was a valuable exercise for the adults, who had to learn to get along with each other for the sake of the children.) Child safety issues unique to the area were built into the show on the request of the local leaders, such as teaching children not to touch unexploded bombs they might find in their environment. This is why the program was important to Palestinians and Israelis. Sesame Street executives receive requests from countries who express a need for the show in order to build goodwill among nationalities in conflict and to keep children safe.
The US gov't's foreign aid department (USAID, which funds these projects) regards this as constructive foreign policy that shows the positive side of US culture. That is USAID's mission.
US citizens who feel that the percentage of the federal budget that goes to foreign aid should be cut back may address their concerns to their representatives in Congress. Enormous cutbacks in foreign aid spending already took place during the Republican-dominated Congress during the Clinton administration, when support for the government "area foundations" that direct US foreign aid abroad (Asia Foundation, Inter-America Foundation, Africa Foundation, Eurasia Foundation) was slashed to the point that those entities were forced to appeal to charitable foundations (Ford, Rockefeller, MacArthur, etc.) just to pay staff salaries. I wouldn't worry that too much money's being spent on foreign aid.
US foreign aid helps set the foundation for peace abroad, and for goodwill toward the US. A much greater concern should be the amount of money spent on war, which trashes the US image abroad and creates hostility toward the US.
Social Security funding does not come from the same source as foreign aid funding. Social Security, as I'm sure all members know, comes from the SS payroll tax. Cutting foreign aid will have absolutely no effect on Social Security funding.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 06-08-2012 at 09:09 AM..
Now I've heard it all. I mean, I already know our gov't funds ridiculous studies like the one(s) on Chinese prostitutes (really, no kidding), but now I hear on NPR we've been funding Sesame Street in Israel and Palestine and now we've cut the funding to Palestine for the show. (Something like $2.5 million for each).
Not going to comment on the Palestine move, but I'd like to know where else in the world we are funding Sesame Street and other TV shows, all while our Social Security system and Medicare, etc. plus help for the poor in our own country is headed down the tubes. Am I on the right planet?
Anyone else outraged?
Yes, many of us are.
It's all about setting priorities and getting a proper focus on what the purpose and function of the federal should be. We spend way too much taxpayer money on non important things like this, when we have a fiscal and economic crisis on our hands.
Our EPA tosses around billions in taxpayer funded grants. Why?
The EPA grants are only one small fraction of wasteful federal spending, during a national crisis. Can't we suspend this type of spending until we get our fiscal house in order and get our economy back on track?
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