[WS:] That is a textbook example of a public good, so I cited it. As to the rest of your post - I think that many things should be paid by taxes,not just access to information but transit, health care, education etc. , which you seem to agree with in principle. This certainly does not make them "free" - but it does provide a free access.
On Thu, Oct 10, 2013 at 11:15 AM, Jordan Hayes <jmhayes at j-o-r-d-a-n.com>wrote:
> Wojtek writes:
>
> restricting access to such information by putting it behind
>> paywalls is harmful to society in a similar ways as restricting
>> fire protection to those households that are willing to pay for it.
>>
>
> I've never lived anywhere in the US that has fire protection paid for by
> "the willing" -- property taxes pay for fire protection in most places[*].
> Are you saying that taxes should pay for your online access to the NY
> Times? That seems fine to me in principle, but I think we're a long way
> from that.
>
> And it would hardly make it "free" ...
>
>
> That is, well informed public is essential for effective functioning
>> of democratic governance, so restriction on information are harmful
>> to that governance.
>>
>
> So wait, we just need to read the NY Times in order to be well informed
> and thus that would fix our ineffective non-functioning democratic
> governance? Sign me up!
>
>
> I know why the paywalls are in place. However, that does not mean
>> uncritical acceptance of the logic behind them (pardon the unintended
>> pun) - which is the neoliberal logic of selective privatization.
>>
>
> Ah, it's neoliberal that a newspaper should charge for access to their
> information.
>
> Now I get it!
>
> /jordan
>
> [*] There are a few holdouts, with predictable results:
> http://www.youtube.com/**results?search_query=Grants+**
> Pass+Rural+Fire+Department<http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Grants+Pass+Rural+Fire+Department>
> ______________________________**_____
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/**mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk<http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk>
>
-- Wojtek
"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."