Weigel

Daniel Radosh points to this 2010 Walter Pincus article to make a point about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding debate.

[T]otal Defense Department spending could reach $500 million or more a year.

A new Army Field Manual describes the purpose of Army bands, a description that could apply to all the military services. It says that the mission is to "provide music throughout the entire spectrum of operations to instill in our forces the will to fight and win, foster the support of our citizens, and promote America's interests at home and abroad." 

... The Marine Band is in the third year of a five-year agreement, inside the Corps, that it is to get a 2 percent annual increase in its spending budget, Colburn said.  One recent change is to turn its newsletter entitled "Notes," in its 25th year, into a full-color, bimonthly publication. It is sent to more than 50,000 readers worldwide. 

For comparison, the White House's 2012 budget

for the CPB. And the Republican House killed an amendment that would have

in funding for military promotional sponsorship of NASCAR. One of these priorities is more sacrosanct than the other; a credible argument can be made for cutting both.