...An editor with an opinion page to fill. Take Friday, in which we are treated to a conniption that an Indiana lawsuit designed to block portions of the federal government's new health-care law carries the appearance that it's politically motivated. Indeed, the claim is made that our State Attorney General has conceded as much, even while pointing out the case is over whether or not the Federal Gummint can require individuals to purchase a product, which is not a partisan issue.
Ah, but the paper crows "hypocrisy!" because that selfsame AG expressed the (personal, AFAIK, as the lawsuits have gone forward) opinion that school districts should not sue the State using tax money collected by the State.
It's a good illustration why newspaper editors generally flee Federalism, shrieking, "It's a zombie!" They think it's dead. They're unable to grasp the distinction between State governments (using their own money; well, mine, but they took it) filing a suit against the Feds and school boards (funded by the State) filing suit against the State, not to mention the wider gap between a political figure's opinions and his, ahem, actual duties.
Me, I'd be in favor of every unit of government suing every other one, but they're all doing it with my money and whichever side lands up, I'm likely to lose. At least Indiana (and 13 other states) are standing up for Federalism and if they prevail (U.S. history presents us with a conundrum -- do 13 or so States have any right standin' up against the impositions and encroachments of an overreaching government? Yes and no), I might even win a tiny something: some of my liberty back.
Um, hooray? --But there is no cheering at out local paper, not 'til Leviathan has crushed us all. I guess we'd all be equal in every way once we were smashed flat,but I sure don't know how they're gonna sell any papers that way.
I thought all local governments in each and every State exist at the pleasure of the State legislatures.
ReplyDeleteYep, the Gannett (French for booby bird and we all know what those produce) newspapers are screaming their fool heads off about suing over a very much unconstitutional bill.
ReplyDeleteBut the Booby Papers have not said a mumbling word about the regime's NSDAP style plan to replace the AP, UP, Reuters, et ux, et al. And use NPR/NET to do the dirty work.
A few papers, notably the Lincoln Journal Star, have spoken out but few have read the fine print accompanying the appropriation.
Dr. Goebbels would be so proud.
STranger
Link?
ReplyDeleteA link to the Journal Star editorial? Sure'nuff, if you don't mind a TinyURL
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/yadox9e
The JS staff is well aware of the situation and has the cojones to squawk. While the State Run Media accepts as inevitable an Obama version of TASS.
Of course, we already have Pravda West, in the New York Times, so perhaps they are acclimated instead of resigned.
Stranger
Excellent. Bad news, but an excellent link, that is.
ReplyDelete"I guess we'd all be equal in every way once we were smashed flat,but I sure don't know how they're gonna sell any papers that way. "
ReplyDeleteThat's where a big fat Newspaper Bailout comes in.
They'll no longer have to worry about such grubby things as profits. Their duty is too important for that.