This is NOT Fiscal Responsibility
Congress has passed a rescission bill for the first time in a few decades, something that could certainly benefit the American taxpayer if such was formulated correctly. For starters, on the scale of the federal government's budget and debts $9-billion is not worth the time nor political capital needed to achieve such a bill's passage. A fiscally responsible approach to the budget would involve a larger overall cut to government spending, alongside either keeping tax rates steady or increasing tax rates and closing loopholes (preferably for those most capable of paying a larger portion).
This $9-billion in cuts targets the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), as well as foreign aid. The vast majority of the 9-billion figure does come from foreign aid programs rather than from the CPB, which while is a tough decision to be made is not the worst source for spending cuts. While the United States is capable of assisting international partners and the impoverished worldwide, I do believe we need to prioritize the needs of our citizens first.
The need to place our citizens first, is precisely why defunding a key source of operating costs for the CPB is a horrible idea. PBS and NPR the two largest broadcasters receiving funding from the CPB are vital infrastructure for rural communities, and the impoverished nationwide. Regardless of any perceived or actual bias in political reporting, this bill lowers funding for Sesame Street, for Tsunami and other natural disaster updates, and educational television not just for toddlers but encouraging science to pursue under-pursued fields through production of documentary or docu-series.
Public broadcasting is a feature of infrastructure worldwide, and by forfeiting ours we weaken not only personal security of our population, not only educational capabilities of our population, but weaken our national security. In events of crisis, war, and disaster public broadcasting around the world proves essential.
Carve outs have been made, and assurances have been given; all that means is that the cuts are not equitable nor are the cuts worthy of passage in their current form. Instead of promising something in the future to save the day, write it in the current bill if you really mean it.
This was likely the first of many potential rescission packages to be presented to Congress in the coming months and years. Focusing on the needs of our citizens, particularly those in underfunded, rural, and impoverished communities, must be the priority of future packages. But if the administration thinks they can simply cut their way to a more fiscally responsible policy structure they haven't viewed the American budgetary and debt situation. You can't balance the budget while lowering taxes on the wealthy, you can't lower the debt while expanding the military budget governed by a Pentagon who simply fails every single audit, and you can't prioritize the American people while defunding essential infrastructure.
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