Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05)
(Source: sonorannews.com via Dan Robinson)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) announced the eighth Shrink our Spending Initiative bill focused on highlighting and cutting wasteful, taxpayer-funded programs. Upon introduction of his latest bill to eliminate federal funding for Voice of America, Salmon released the following statement:
“My eighth SOS bill is aimed at cutting yet another duplicative, federal program and saving you 212 million dollars by doing so. While originally commissioned to provide a ‘clear and effective presentation’ of U.S. policy, Voice of America (VOA) has veered from its original mission and become a government-funded news outlet. The United States already funds organizations that disseminate unfiltered news to regions of the world that lack a free press.
“Technology has also rendered Cold War relics, such as VOA, obsolete. The rise of the Internet and social media, especially in closed countries have connected the world in ways we could have never imagined, and with their success, and other U.S. taxpayer-funded broadcasting programs, it makes fiscal sense to eliminate this superfluous, federally-funded entity.”[…]
For those that support the VOA as is, or want to see it expanded as some of the earlier comments mention-and yes I listened in the 1960’s too, you need to not only write back to this Congressman with your thoughts in a logically written message, but also to your own to not support this Bill. OTOH, if you do support him, I’m sure he and your elected officials would like to know that too.
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Totally idiotic, as others have mentioned here, and what this Congressman fails to realise is that the internet can be blocked and censored – the VOA is the only way a lot of these unconnected countries get to hear news outside their own country.
I fear though, that this congressman will somehow get his way, and VOA will go the same way as RCI
With the problems that exist throughout the world today, I personally would like to see the VOA of the 60s back in full force (24/7 broadcasts in a gazillion languages) to spread the word of the greatness of this country and what this country has done for the rest of the world since our founding. However, before that could happen, a change in leadership at the very top would have to occur. Continually refusing to address the issues, apologizing for this country, and keeping your head in the sand just is the wrong path.
Do you remember getting the folded stack of VOA schedules back in the 60s delivered to your mailbox? Of course, if the VOA had a robust schedule like in the past, where would Brother Stair end up?
But alas this won’t happen. There is more and more welfare to be handed out. By the way, isn’t it ironic that Social Security is running out of money, but welfare never seems to run out of money?
As Ken says, the representative’s remarks are largely based on ignorance, but I do agree with the representative’s sentiment though. I could only wish CRI and other state broadcasters would follow suit. I’d tired of the pervasive propaganda. Give me the truth. Give me some controversy to mull. Give me something like GCN on DIGITAL shortwave! Ah, yeah. Art Bell is scheduled to return within the week … 😉
Bye, bye state broadcasters of propaganda! I wouldn’t miss the VoA’s disappearance from shortwave for a minute.
What an ignorant statement.
It is a trivial matter for foreign dictators to censor websites, social media outlets, and the likes but very, very hard to jam a shortwave transmission.
There are many millions of people our government would like to reach, but those people lack computers, smartphones, Internet access, reliable power, etc. SW radio broadcasts can blanket the world at a trivial cost.
I suspect the VOA budget is a fraction of the ‘new’ media projects that ‘took over’ the mission of the VOA.
Does the Rep. Imagine a democracy-curious Nigerian will spend hard-earned cash to buy time at an Internet cafe to learn about US policies?
How many of these new social media outlets make it into Chinese and North Korean homes? I suspect most, if not all, are locked at the border, and the average Chinese or North Korean citizen likely has no computer or even Internet access at home or work.
A suitable SW radio can be built with just a handful of electronic components, snatched off the circuit boards of the millions of tons of ewaste we send overseas annually. (See recent 3 transistor project SW radio project posted to swling.com blog a few days ago.)
Hear hear! My thoughts precisely, thank you!