Public voice being choked

Attacking and weakening National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts because they are government programs is a flawed approach to reducing the deficit. The concept of government in itself is not an evil idea, but how it functions right now is the problem. Government represents mostly corporations, and NPR and NEA, in general, do not. That’s why right-wing entities want to get rid of them. And they might have the political influence to achieve that.

NPR and NEA are two remaining taxpayer-supported institutions which have something to do with middle/working-class issues, addressing the situation of the poor, promoting creativity, challenging the mind and opening up new worlds to people. They are among the last bastions which do not entirely speak for corporations, but focus on more progressive issues and solutions for the common good.

That’s why corporations want to get rid of them. It does not benefit corporations to allow people to have access to such open-mindedness. Actually, they think it hinders their political agenda.

Corporate-backed wars and concentrated power break the budget, not NPR and the NEA. Don’t allow corporations to turn people against their own interest by attacking these institutions.

Ildikó Kalapács

Spokane