Big Bird and the Welfare State

So Barry-O is running this ad:

Obama claims that Romney wanting to cut federal funding to PBS would kill Big Bird. Only one needs to look around to see the reality. Stores are FILLED with Sesame Street merch. Tickle Me Elmo caused riots and people being trampled at stores when it was first released. The show is available on Netflix, and DVDs can be had at retail stores.

Sesame street is EXACTLY what’s wrong with the Welfare System. It is massive, it is profitable, and yet it still collects from the public troughs. Really Sesame Street getting public funds is much closer to this than anything else.

Big Bird is collecting food stamps from his Limo!

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10 Responses to Big Bird and the Welfare State

  1. Sesame Street yesterday released a press release asking them to pull the ad. Overall I find this whole incident quite telling about Obama and his campaign. More on that later.

    And you’re right, it’s an example of bloat within the system. Sesame Street at this point can self sustain, yet we still provide public funding!? WTF?!

    • Jack says:

      If I recall, some of the folks behind the show are huge donors to Obama and even they see this overt work as damaging their brand.

      Funny that.

      And yeah, it’s very telling of the Administration’s arrogance.

  2. Jack says:

    Sesame Street is a prime example of crony capitalism.

    The idea that a media giant with 43 seasons, two feature films, mounds and mounds of merch, and international spin-offs gets State funding is maddening.

    That the Dems think they have a winning issue on “Nooooo! They’re taking away your Elmo and Big Bird!” is telling.

    But hey, if the US can’t stop funding successful media empires that have made the series creators quite well to do, then there’s little hope in any fiscal constraint.

    • Weerd Beard says:

      And that’s not even taking into account that Sesame Street is a direct Spinoff of The Muppet Show, often with common character crossover. Further, Jim Henson Productions is owned by Walt Disney.

      Literally too big to fail.

  3. Jake says:

    Stores are FILLED with Sesame Street merch.

    and

    The idea that a media giant with 43 seasons, two feature films, mounds and mounds of merch, and international spin-offs gets State funding is maddening.

    Exactly. I don’t remember where I left the comment, but I noted the other day that Sesame Street, by itself, could probably fund most of PBS in its entirety, and the executives probably would barely even notice that the .gov money had stopped coming in. And that would be without outside sponsors stepping in to cover the loss in funding.

    They’ll do just fine without sucking on the government teat. Wean ’em.

    • Weerd Beard says:

      Was that on the above youtube video? Don’t recognize the handle but that’s exactly what the top comment is for that video.

      I generally stay away from youtube comments…but I was impressed how many of the trolls over there weren’t buying what the President was shilling!

  4. AZRon says:

    Sesame Street and PBS funding is to entertainment and “news” what Obama phones are to communication… another federally mandated drain on taxpayers, and there are far too many willing to sacrifice their souls for a few bucks.

    “The game never ends when your whole world depends on the turn of a friendly card”
    Quote: Parsons/Woolfson

  5. Cargosquid says:

    The man that runs Big Bird…part of the 1%. 300+K per year.

    • Jack says:

      Silly. They all got their indulgences.

      It’s not corporate greed if you have the right connections and get the right grants. In fact it becomes greedy to try to stop it!

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