Among all the furor surrounding a new law restricting school districts and municipalities from using taxpayer dollars to electioneer in favor of tax hikes, perhaps the most absurd suggestion was captured by The Associated Press.
The AP reported the following about a recent news conference held by municipal and other officials in Lansing: “They say voters need facts to become informed about taxes, charters, land transfers and other local ballot issues, and local governments fill a void as the news media shrinks.”
ForTheRecord says: Because who else would be better to present voters with “facts” about a proposal than the very people who will benefit the most from it, right?
"History is rife with examples of the dangers from imposing state-run media, inevitably creating a propaganda machine more useful for controlling the public than for educating and empowering a citizenry," said Erik Telford, president of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. "The role of media to hold government accountable is what separates us from authoritarian regimes that use government to hold media accountable."
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.