Sesame Street has been a cornerstone of childhood education since November 1968, captivating young audiences with its engaging characters and memorable music. We grew up alongside the beloved characters of “Sesame Street” and shared that joy with our families.

Sesame Street embodies love, friendship, tolerance, respect, and sharing. It makes every American taxpayer shake their head to learn that the United States government is spending $20 million of taxpayer money to fund this program in oil-rich Iraq. This country exhibits none of these qualities toward America or its people.

Currently, Iraq is considering a law pushed by Shia political parties that would permit child marriages. This proposed legislation would allow girls as young as nine to be married under religious authority, a move that strips away the most fundamental rights of children under the guise of protecting women’s “dignity.”

This past year, Iraq imposed a 15-year prison sentence on gay people—a country where this community is hunted down, beaten, tortured, raped and murdered.  

This past week, Senator Chris Coons of Delaware defended the $20 million Sesame Street Iraqi expense, saying that the show teaches values, promotes public health, and helps prevent children from succumbing to diseases like dysentery. He emphasizes its role in fostering cooperation and peacefulness.

Which leads to the question that maybe Bill Nye, the Science Guy would ask– what planet is Chris Coons on?

What would Bert and Ernie say? Or Rosita and Cousin Monster, upon learning that Iraq’s penal code enables impunity for male violence against women, including provisions that allow the husband to punish his wife, parents to discipline their children, and mitigated sentences for violent acts including murder for so-called “honorable motives.” The penal code also allows perpetrators of rape or sexual assault to escape prosecution or have their sentences quashed if they marry their victim. This is according to Human Rights Watch Report of 2024.

Maybe instead of Sesame Street, Senator Coons needs a lesson from Mister Rogers. It’s tough to be a good neighbor when you treat women and others with less respect than farm animals.

Why are the American taxpayers paying for this nonsense, and why do some politicians think it is a good idea?

The answer is simple: Iraq has oil. America, and especially California, needs oil. Due to the Biden-Harris and Newsom administrations, America, and specifically California, the politicians have made sure to decrease domestic oil production so we can import more Iraqi oil. Even the Count understands this simple equation. 

In California, perhaps the next stop on the Kamala Harris Political Tour when she runs for Governor, our taxpayers in the Golden State pay $8.2 billion for oil from Iraq when we could be producing here at home.

Iraq has become California’s largest oil importer. In 2023, Iraq imported 68.4 million barrels of oil, with a surcharge of $5-$6 per barrel—totaling $8.2 billion in California funds (not including the surcharge). California is importing oil that it could produce itself.

With that kind of money, Iraq could sponsor Sesame Street, the Muppets, and Barney without our $20 million.

The United States is not flush with money. Our national debt has surpassed $36 trillion, and our residents continue encountering economic difficulties.

Sesame Street’s values and goals are commendable, but allocating $20 million of American taxpayers’ money is a tough sell in a country where the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 28 percent of girls in Iraq are married before age 18, and per the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq, 22 percent of unregistered marriages involved girls under age 14.

And just so you don’t think we are Iraq-bashing, spending $6 million of American taxpayer money to promote tourism in Egypt and $2 million for sex changes in Guatemala are outrageous as well.

If our federal and state politicians don’t want to put “America First,” maybe they could consider putting “Common Sense First.” 

If they do, Cookie Monster can give them a cookie as their reward.