# Romney v. Big Bird Huh?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308 "2012-10-10T14:18:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/1 "2012-10-10T14:18:05Z")
I keep seeing jokes and such about Romney threatening Big Bird. When I try to search, I only get more jokes. Has this been created whole cloth? Or did Romney actually weigh in on a _Sesame Street_ character? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/2 "2012-10-10T14:19:51Z")
There was a fairly well publicized presidential debate (I’m surprised you didn’t at least see the promos for it) in which he mentioned that while he loved Big Bird, if elected, he would cut funding for PBS. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/3 "2012-10-10T14:44:10Z")
Well of _COURSE_ I’m aware of the debate. And I was aware that he had threatened to cut PBS - I just didn’t know that he had singled out Big Bird in that way. Thanks for the information, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/4 "2012-10-10T14:45:58Z")
Well, it was a throw-away quip after he mentioned the funding bit – “And, hey, I love Big Bird.” ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/5 "2012-10-10T14:51:48Z")
Sort of like “Hey, I love all you guys, but I’ve sold the company and you’re fired.” ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/6 "2012-10-10T14:52:28Z")
He also said he likes Jim Lehrer (also of PBS). Less warm fuzzies from that one, though. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/7 "2012-10-10T15:45:21Z")
Oddly, most commentators across the spectrum seem to take it at face value that Big Bird, and PBS more generally, are somehow dependent on the government. They aren’t. Sesame Workshop, which produces the show, is not funded by the government. Merchandising brings in more than enough money to pay some guy to run around dressed as a large, yellow bird. PBS stations that broadcast this stuff get only a small portion of their money from the federal government. Big Bird’s [extremely generous salary](http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/329846/vulture-capitalism-editors) is safe no matter what any President does. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/8 "2012-10-10T15:53:28Z")
That is true, but not the whole story, as I understand it. There is no doubt that Sesame Street will continue to exist. The question is _where_ it will exist - will it be on free over-the-air television in all markets? Local PBS stations in smaller communities are more dependent on public funding than ones in large markets. And obviously there are many other shows on public broadcasting (both TV and radio) that are not as marketable as Sesame Street. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/9 "2012-10-10T16:42:55Z")
Sesame Workshop (and Children’s Television Workshop) and PBS are separate entities. Saying that Big Bird will still exist ignores the larger issue of how it’s distributed and whether PBS will exist and in what form. Given the career arcs of “for profit” educational programming channels (TLC, History, Discovery, A&E) I think there’s value in funding a bona fide educational programming channel available to everyone and which stays true to its purpose. Or, hey, maybe someday Big Bird can tell us what the favorite cakes and wedding dresses were of Hitler’s druidic chupacabra army before they took up lobster fishing at the toddler beauty pageant. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/10 "2012-10-10T20:47:47Z")
At the time _Sesame Street_ was created, it served a useful purpose since the only televised entertainment folks could get was the three networks. In such an environment, I think most folks would agree that it was justifiable for the government to subsidize some alternative. Today, however, we have hundreds of cable channels, even more options on satellite, DVD, online distribution of video, and more. Anything that there’s a market for, even if it’s a very small niche market, will be able to find its audience and do so without federal subsidies. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/11 "2012-10-10T20:59:07Z")
You’re jumping from PBS to Sesame Street again, **ITR Champion**. ---
**Author:** ![aag3981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@aag3981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aag3981)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/12 "2012-10-10T21:28:50Z")
PBS and Sesame Street represent a liberal entity to many on the right. Yes, Romney singled out Big Bird and said he will cut funding for PBS and it’s an effect form of symbolism to his party. I kind of like the idea of a network that isn’t dependent of funds from advertising to survive. It brings about a sort of bias on it’s own. Also, if PBS is such a horrific subsidy because it can survive without federal funds, the same standard should be placed on all corporations. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/13 "2012-10-10T21:44:36Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > At the time _Sesame Street_ was created, it served a useful purpose since the only televised entertainment folks could get was the three networks. In such an environment, I think most folks would agree that it was justifiable for the government to subsidize some alternative. Today, however, we have hundreds of cable channels, even more options on satellite, DVD, online distribution of video, and more. Anything that there’s a market for, even if it’s a very small niche market, will be able to find its audience and do so without federal subsidies. Your position is either trivial or false. It’s trivial if you’re suggesting that PBS or Sesame Street would survive in some form absent federal spending. That’s true, but the whole point is that it would be able to do 23% less (or whatever the proportion is). It’s false if you’re suggesting the federal money has no effect on what is produced and where it’s shown. If your argument is that government ought not subsidize that which would exist in some form on its own, you haven’t given any warrant for that argument. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/14 "2012-10-10T21:57:30Z")
> [@aag3981](#): > > If PBS is such a horrific subsidy because it can survive without federal funds, the same standard should be placed on all corporations. You’re on. Most conservatives would be delighted to can or at least severely curtail corporate subsidies. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/15 "2012-10-10T22:03:29Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > You’re on. Most conservatives would be delighted to can or at least severely curtail corporate subsidies. No, they wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/16 "2012-10-10T22:41:35Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > You’re on. Most conservatives would be delighted to can or at least severely curtail corporate subsidies. Yeah, most _conservatives_. Classic conservatives. The things called “conservatives” that populate the Republican party are NOT those conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/17 "2012-10-10T23:36:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **ITR Champion** : > > At the time Sesame Street was created, it served a useful purpose since the only televised entertainment folks could get was the three networks. In such an environment, I think most folks would agree that it was justifiable for the government to subsidize some alternative. Today, however, we have hundreds of cable channels, even more options on satellite, DVD, online distribution of video, and more. Anything that there’s a market for, even if it’s a very small niche market, will be able to find its audience and do so without federal subsidies. So why, out of all of those hundreds of channels, is PBS _still_ the only educational one? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/18 "2012-10-10T23:39:38Z")
_ka-ching!_ ---
**Author:** ![aag3981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@aag3981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aag3981)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/19 "2012-10-11T01:11:53Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > You’re on. Most conservatives would be delighted to can or at least severely curtail corporate subsidies. Really?? Tell me where this republican party is or what you are reading that makes you believe that about this party. It’s certainly not the impression I get. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308/20 "2012-10-11T16:11:17Z")
Hey, I’m all for public funding, but C-SPAN is pretty good still as far as I’m aware. I can see issues regarding impartiality arising given congressional investigations into their affiliates though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-v-big-bird-huh/637308.md?page=2)