NPR visits the libertarian PorcFest in New Hampshire and does the typical, wised-up ‘Oh, these pie-in-the-skiers!’ piece, complete with predictably wistful asides about the USDA and gas taxes.
Fair enough. It’s a fun/funny story and NPR does, after all, have a patron to please: Those who would like to see the more Don Corleone-esque elements of the regulatory state tapered back shouldn’t expect to be taken too seriously by an organization on the take.
Still, I can’t help but note how much easier it is to write a story like this than it would be to deal with the implications of the state’s current arbitrary, self-defined boundaries — which are frequently ignored anyway. There is always a place for a feature on irreverent characters, of course — I’ve done plenty myself — but maybe amongst the condescending snickers the self-proclaimed “all things considered” Voice of America could find a little space to note the pot that those wonderful gas taxes go into is the very same that pays for, say, the 12-gauge-toting Department of Education to have a paramilitary squad at its disposal?
We’re not asking for anything heroic. Just a single line that acknowledges Great Papa Government has a mean streak and then go ahead and dive right back into making fun of the Gold Bugs.
Oh, and here’s Chris Edwards administering the paddling the USDA actually deserves.
