IP: IHS' Damon Cheston on creating $18 billion federal content agency

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 01:35:23 -0400
> To: politech () politechbot com
> From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
>
> [Damon is the program director at the Institute for Humane Studies at 
> George Mason University. He's responding to Rick Karr's note at
> http://www.politechbot.com/p-02303.html -- if Rick cares to reply, I'll 
> give him the last word. --Declan]
>
> ---
>
> From: "Damon Chetson" <dchetson () gmu edu>
> To: <declan () well com>
> Subject: RE: Replies to $18 billion agency from Wired's Platt, NPR's Karr
> Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2001 09:32:17 -0400
> In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.0.20010725161923.02001b80 () mail well com>
>
> Declan,
>
> I take issue with Mr. Karr's assumption that because reporting "ain't
> cheap", the government has to step in to do it.  Karr assumes that the kind
> of programming on NPR cannot be provided for voluntarily in a free market -
> hence his statements about MSNBC and CNN.  So, instead, he argues that all
> people should be forced to pay for programming via tax money that only a few
> people actually use.  (Indeed, if more people used it, advertising would
> cover the cost in Karr's scenario).
>
> It's always interesting to hear people define the "public good" and then
> insist that people should be forced to supply it through tax money.  Usually
> their conception of the "public good" includes all sorts of things they
> personally like and benefit from.  In fact, all sorts of activities - from
> exercise to eating fruit to philosophizing about the role of government -
> contribute to the public good.  Does that mean that government ought to
> provide them?
>
> I'm all for foundations supporting the arts, Mr. Karr's NPR, and, of course,
> my philosophizing about the role of government since that money is
> contributed voluntarily by people who care about those issues.  I think we
> need to be skeptical of ANY attempt to use taxpayer dollars since at root
> tax money is the result of coercion.
>
> Finally, there's an interesting public choice question to consider here.
> Once started through government money, will this National Web Institute (or
> whatever) ever die?  Not likely since once the institute is staffed and
> budgeted, it will take on a life of its own regardless of the continued
> importance of its mission.
>
> Best,
>
> Damon Chetson
>
> ** You can post this if you think it's worthwhile **



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