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Software Vault: The Diamond Collection
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The Diamond Collection (Software Vault)(Digital Impact).ISO
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pressler.zip
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PRESSLER.MSG
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1995-02-18
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7KB
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111 lines
(710) Tue 7 Feb 95 1:25a
By: Douglas Wiken
To: all
Re: Sen Larry Pressler & Public TV
St: Local
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@MSGID: 2001:2900/50 1300cadb
@PID: FM 2.12.SW UNREG
You may be aware S.Dakota's WHIZBANG US SENATOR PRESSLER is hitting national
commercial TV interview programs promoting the ending of all Federal spending
for Public Broadcasting. A few months ago one of the computer magazines--
perhaps PC World or PC Computing-- devoted several pages to the amount of money
lobbyists pumped to Commerce Committee members campaigns in attempts to buy a
way to control the so-called Information Highway. Senator Pressler
is now chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
I have long suspected that Republican "idealogical" opposition to Public TV
goes back to the days McNeil-Lehrer covered the WaterGate hearings in enough
detail that honest people in the middle of nowhere realized what Nixon and
Cohorts had done (or tried to do). Pressler is still trying to kill the
messenger whose unbiased (if unrelenting) coverage indicated the ethical
hollowness and hypocrisy of the national GOP.
BUT...I have shifted more toward a paranoid conspiracy theory that Pressler
and his ilk are really attempting to transfer the last part of the
electromagnetic spectrum carrying low-cost education into the hands of the
large influential exploiters of the airwaves. If files and information can be
transmitted from a satellite, than files and a lot of other data can be dumped
out over the national public broadcasting net our taxdollars and free-will
contributions have produced in the last 20 years.
The oxymoron of "privatizing" public broadcasting really means a
huge transfer of a real public asset at fire-sale prices to the same kind of
speculators who shifted money from savings and loans to the Caymen islands--
then used that money to buy the assets dumped at 10 cents on the dollar by the
RTC with a subsidy that dwarfs public broadcasting, agriculture and
environoment with funding compliments of your your tax subsidy to the already
rich or the really corrupt.
There is real irony here too. Pressler seems to view the income that BARNEY
(Purple Nausea) generates to be really evil exploitation of the public
resource. I have not heard him complaining that Newt Ginrich's Book contract
with an outfit (also attempting to buy control of information) is a parallel
exploitation of a government resource due to Ginrich's position in Congress.
This seems to be a bit more of an indication that the big
part of the so-called "Republican Contract with America" is a big "CON".
Another irony is that in these times when many taxpayers are trying
to control the rapidly increasing spending for education, that the GOP decides
to kill off the most cost effective system of education ever developed by any
government operation. Public broadcasting is unique in that it seems to be one
of the few things that the Federal Government and the State Governments have
done that generated INTENDED CONSEQUENCES and which has obtained voluntary
additional support from citizens without being bludgeoned by the IRS.
For many of us sitting in the boondocks, Daily newspapers are becoming
prohibitively expensive. Cable television is not available in all areas and
certainly not for people with low income who need education opportunities as
much or more than any other segment of the population.
To more or less summarize the point of all this: the 80 cents or so that each
of us pays in taxes for Public Broadcasting is one of the few government
bargains we get. Public TV can run for many years on the amount of money spent
on one air-craft carrier (which doesn't even defend us from the illegal
invasion of immigrants).
There are many things on Public Television and public radio that I do not
necessarily appreciate or agree with; but, it is an asset worth saving. I am
not a conservative Republican --which ought to be obvious--but I try to watch
conservative Bill Buckley on Firing Line because every once in a while he has a
good idea and I can only see him on Public TV.
So, PLEASE SEND a letter to Senator Pressler or dump a FAX to him suggesting
that his idea to quit funding for Public Broadcasting is not Prairie Populism,
but Prairie Pea-brainism. His attacks on Public broadcasting are second only in
arrogant stupidity to his short-lived decision to run for President. This
transparent phony is reputed to once have asked one of his college professors
which sport (Golf or Tennis) that he (Pressler) should take up to further his
political career. His next proposals will be to tax the evil BBS operators who
provide a network for information transmission that can not be controlled by
oil,soap,nuclear,or vehicle manufacturers.
His voice phone is 202-224-5842 and his FAX number is 202-228-0368.
If you are wondering how Plastic Pressler keeps getting elected, remember that
a dead SD Republican legislative candidate got over 30% of the votes in one
election. Pressler seems to be alive -- if just a little bit brain-dead. You
might also take advantage of another information network to get the message
around. Your old-fashioned local newspaper may be looking for letters to the
editor...even if they come from techno-jocks. More than a few mothers and
children might miss Sesame Street--and even NOVA or Computer Chronicles.
Good night from South Dakota...
---
* Origin: MID-PRAIRIE BBS Dakota Darkstar 605-842-0271 (2001:2900/50)
(2001:2900/50)
--------- PS for EXEC-PC BBS:.-------------------------------------------
According to the Sioux Falls SD ARGUS LEADER, William F. Buckley said in
a column "Pressler, whatever the soundness of his objectives, is engaged
in Orwellian persecution, pure and simple." This in reference to a demand
by Sen. Pressler that Public Broadcasting provide personnel information.
PBS estimated the cost of 1000's of pages of documentation and legal fees
to be over $90,000. After flak like that from Buckley, Pressler decided
he really did not need the information after PBS wasted enough money to
subsidise a small radio station for a year.
If you run a BBS or have anything to do with the so-called "information
highway", you probably should not fall asleep at the keyboard--even if
you are a conservative who detests Public TV. Presslers Neo-McCarthyism
is a threat to anybody who is not already rich or controlling a PAC.
In general, the end does not justify the means...in the case of
Pressler's specific proposals, neither the end or the means is justified.
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