One small step toward saving public broadcasting

It's only a battle and not the war, but the GOP has (for now) backed down on its threat to take away the funding for the CPB. As Bill Moyers put it, real journalism terrifies the Republicans, because the truth would destroy them. It also goes to show you that writing letters, making calls, and even signing petitions makes a difference. After all, the primary concern of righties is staying in power-- that even trumps their devotion to money and influence.

Big Bird and National Public Radio won a reprieve Thursday as the House restored $100 million that had been proposed as a budget cut for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The 284-140 vote demonstrated the enduring political strength of public broadcasting, whose supporters rallied behind popular programs such as "Sesame Street," "Postcards From Buster" and "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer."

The Public Broadcasting Service undertook a high-profile campaign to rescind the proposed cut. Lawmakers were flooded with letters and phone calls.