" . . . Congress Shall Make No Law . . . "

The start of Federal Trade Commission hearings into ways the federal government might rescue journalism strike me as the start of something, well, evil this way comes. Ideas like taxes on internet-based devices -- an "iPad tax" -- to forced fees on aggregators -- the "Drudge tax" -- are the sane edge of the proposals. Federal funding for journalism students, tax breaks for "non-profit" journalism, money for AmeriCorps-like programs to support writers.

Can we hit the pause button, please?

Are we to infer that this really is the Great Depression II, and we need some WPA programs to support journalists? If the government pays or subsidizes the media, are we honestly to believe they will not try to influence it? Taxes on "free" news on the internet -- didn't we have a throw down with England over a little bill called the Stamp Act?

Not all coming before the FTC agree government is the solution. Jeff Jarvis gives an opinion piece on what not to do to save journalism.

Or are we simply going to hit the panic button? Jarvis:

Most dangerous of all, the FTC considers a doctrine of "proprietary facts," as if anyone should gain the right to restrict the flow of information just as the information is opening it up. Copyright law protects the presentation of news but no one owns facts -- and if anyone did, you could be forbidden from sharing them. How does that serve free speech?

I know this ranges off from our usual sporting angles, but all of you who doubt me as a spokesperson, bought and paid for by the athletic department, you're going to be comfy with a government agency deciding who owns facts?