FTC Recommending President Fuckstick Bailout the MSM With New Taxes Totalling $35 Billion a Year…

We all know that there is no way that they will let their propaganda arm wither and die....

From Al-Reuters

This is actually quite astonishing. A “staff discussion draft” from the Federal Trade Commission recommends ways the government can save journalism. First, it lists a number of ways Washington can subsidize the media (to the tune of $35 billion a year):

– Establish a “journalism” division of AmeriCorps.

– Increase funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

– Establish a National Fund for Local News.

– Provide a tax credit to news organizations for every journalist they employ.

– Establish Citizenship News Vouchers (lets you direct money from tax return).

And here is where the money would come from, which I will quote directly:

Tax on broadcast spectrum. They argue “commercial radio and television broadcasters are given monopoly rights to extremely lucrative spectrum at no charge,” and this is a massive public subsidy. They therefore suggest the revenues generated by that spectrum be taxed at a rate of 7 percent, which should result in a fund of between $3 and $6 billion. In exchange, commercial broadcasters would be relieved of any obligations to engage in “public-interest programming,” which the broadcasters claim costs them $10 billion annually.

Tax on consumer electronics. A 5 percent tax on consumer electronics would generate approximately $4 billion annually.

Spectrum auction tax. They suggest there be a tax on the auction sales prices for commercial communication spectrum, with the proceeds going to the public-media fund.
Advertising taxes. They note a considerable amount of our broadcast spectrum has been turned over to disseminating commercial advertisements, and a 2 percent sales tax on advertising would generate approximately $5 to $6 billion annually. In addition, they suggest that changing the tax write-off of all advertising as a business expense in a single year to a write-off over a 5-year period would generate an additional $2 billion per year.

ISP-cell phone tax. They suggest consumers could pay a small tax on their monthly ISP-cell phone bills to fund content they access on their digital services. A tax of 3 percent on the monthly fees would generate $6 billion annually. They note, however, this is the least desirable approach because demand for these services is “elastic” and even a slight rise in price could result in people dropping the service.

I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that this is exactly how totalitarian regimes control the people.
 
But here is a great idea for saving journalism; TELL THEM TO ACTUALLY BE JOURNALISTS...
 
And let them compete in the arena of ideas and see if Americans like ideas they push for this regime, like more income redistribution, higher taxes, government controlled health care, more apologies to our enemies, more bowing around the world, more disrespect of our allies, more illegal alien amnesty and on and on and on....
 
I will sell everything I own and live in a tent before I am going to give the MSM one thin dime of my money through taxes....
 
CHOP