I agree that the short film categories, particularly Best Animated Short, should be kept in, if nothing else to preserve the legacy of its winners from the past (Knighty-Knight Bugs, Tweetie Pie, Birds Anonymous, The Fast and the Furrious, these are just some of the ones I know offhand) which included the likes of Chuck Jones and Walt Disney. Of course these were from the time when animated shorts, along with newsreels, were shown before features...
I know I'd rather see Bugs and Daffy arguing over what hunting season it is, than those stupid commercials for Coke and stuff!