Saving the news - the most troublesome bailout idea yet

The Bristol Press, a newspaper in Connecticut, may fold very soon.

That possibility has some lawmakers so worried they are considering offering incentives to potential buyers of that newspaper and others, according to this article. This is a very bad idea. How can a news organization be an effective watchdog of the government when it owes its financial existence to said government? That's a sure way to get the press to rubber-stamp any and every stupid idea from the governor or state house.

Connecticut's economic development agency has already been trying to find a buyer for The Bristol Press and 10 other newspapers in the state, according to this Bristol Press article. That simple act alone could compromise the integrity of any or all of these news organizations.

On a side note, this bailout trend has taken on a troubling life of its own. Any business that is falling on hard times seems to be a candidate. This has to stop, or we'll all be working for the government before long.