This is not the first time that Congress addressed the TV crisis. President Ronald Reagan, obviously a heartless Republican, killed the subsidy. Apparently their minds boggle at the thought of even one person in America without access to local TV programming. Over such an issue would the colonists have staged a revolution. Americans are a wealthy people.
Capitalism is resilient.
The economy is flourishing despite the hefty burden of unnecessary taxes and regulations. But that's no excuse for legislators to waste taxpayers' money. Especially to lavish money on the most ludicrous causes in order to buy votes. Institutional budget reform would help. Constitutional limitations, procedural reform and streamlining entitlements would all reduce wasteful spending.