The Virginian-Pilot editorial board is at its hypocritical best again as they launch another attack on the coal industry.
It would be nice if their coal opposition was based on some lofty principle, like environmental concern, but the huge impact newspapers have on trees and landfills would make them an odd candidate for environmental champion of the year.
No, this time, coal’s sin is called “rent seeking” – which they say is a bad thing.
“The idea [of rent-seeking] is simple but powerful. People are said to seek rents when they try to obtain benefits for themselves through the political arena,” Henderson wrote in the Concise Encyclopedia of Economics. (Pilot)
WOW!
Does the Virginian-Pilot ever read the ENTIRE first amendment, or do they stop at freedom of the press?
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; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (emphasis added)
The Virginian-Pilot, which tells government what it should do every single day, attacks the coal industry for doing the same thing!
Of course, while President Obama was destroying the coal industry every day for eight years, the Pilot had no problem with environmental groups pushing their agenda in government. Suddenly, when the industry defends itself, the Pilot thinks that’s wrong.
I mean, it’s not like newspapers get special tax privileges, right?
23VAC10-500-40. Exemptions from the Bpol Tax
The privilege of printing or publishing any newspaper, magazine, newsletter or other publication issued daily or regularly at average intervals not exceeding three months, provided the publication’s subscription sales are exempt from state sales tax.
Funny, but I have yet to read the Virginian-Pilot criticize itself for being exempt from taxes that so many other businesses must pay.
Sounds like newspapers have been not only “rent seeking” but “rent getting” for decades.
So, to sum up the Pilot’s position, coal energy is bad and trees can be clearcut as long as the wood is used to print newspapers, and advocating change in government is bad if you’re in the coal industry, but not if you write for a newspaper, and special tax breaks are horrendous unless they are special tax breaks for newspapers, in which case they rank just below mom’s apple pie on the Piece of Americana rankings.
Give me a break!