I almost dropped my protein shake when I read about the possibility of some newspapers being given one of those government bailouts. Are we nuts? Do we think that this is no longer America "land of the free," as in free to fail or survive? I have a real problem with any newspaper becoming an arm of the government.

The "Fourth Estate" survived monarchial and other forms of government oppression to evolve into the entity protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution when in 1791, it was declared: 

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; of the right of the people peacefully to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
 

Even, or maybe especially, at the creation of this country, the wise men who gave up much to found it, realized the importance of a free press. They realized that the freedom to keep the populace informed, through an un-moderated forum, was vital to a democratic republic. So why now in the twenty first century, 218 years after the freedom of the press was immortalized in the US Constitution, the written pages of some members of the Forth Estate, are to be bought by the same Congress that should "make no law...abdriging the freedom...of the press"?

Isn't there some kind of conflict of interest here? Strictly metaphorically speaking, for example, when Congress becomes the master, and the press become the bailed out and pampered poodles,, will those poodles bite the hands that are feeding them by daring to report that dog food is contaminated? Or will the "dog food" story, of necessity, be reported as:

No story here! Dog food safe to eat, Ignore the thousand or so dogs that perished, coincidentally after being fed the dog food in question?

As one who is not exactly rolling in dough and extremely acquainted with the vagaries of unemployment and under-employment, I have the utmost empathy for staffers being laid off because of declining ad revenues, and all of the other reasons why newspapers are suffering. But a handout from the government is not the answer. Please re-read those articles that were written about the bailout of the car and financial industries, and the power of the pay czar, with his recommendations of reductions in pay and/or bonuses. Please re-read the once proud history of the press, when the press had more credibility than the typical politician.

Instead of accepting a bailout in exchange for your journalistic soul, try writing articles to get this same government to do something effective to improve public education so that students may actually be able to read your newspapers. No, I am not calling for a bailout of the education industry! Make your papers more "attractive" by printing all the news that is occurring, as opposed to the news that you wish to filter out to the unknowing public that still trusts you. If you are honest, you will admit that you did much to drive them away, Show that you can compete with that newfangled thing called the "internet!"

I am rooting for you to make the right decision and keep your independence! You originate from good stock! If you take the path of least resistance and accept that "poodleship," you have lost me for good. The newspaper is in your court.