Editor, Times-Union: Our governor, Mike Pence, ran as a freedom-loving, big government-hating candidate. It seems, however, he may have been a bit deceitful. Pence announced on Monday that he would be launching a taxpayer-funded, state-run news agency referred to as JustIN. By doing so, Indiana joins such freedom-loving bastions as Russia, China and Iran that also have state-run media. I learned in my public school education this sort of action was known as propaganda. In Gov. Pence speak, it is referred to as a “news resource.” To have my tax dollars used for Pence propaganda makes me mad as hell. There are far more urgent needs that face Indiana than a need for a “news resource.” If President Obama, who I also have very little respect for, proposed a taxpayer-funded, state-run “news resource,” the cries of damnation would be heard to the heavens. Yet Hoosiers seem perfectly content with this ill-advised waste of money. If Gov. Pence wants his state-run media, it should be privatized like every other damn thing he wants to privatize in the state. Currently running on local TV stations is a commercial depicting a very sick newborn tethered to wires and monitors. The voiceover is of a young woman stating that she could not afford pre-natal care. The commercial further states that perhaps pregnant woman can get some help at some website. I assume poverty, or near poverty is a requirement to qualify. The income cap for receiving vouchers for private schools for Hoosier children is eighty-some thousand dollars. I dare say that the same cap is not used for prenatal care. The monies used to make and air this commercial could have been better spent actually supplying pre-natal care to pregnant women. Also, this commercial portrays Indiana in a very bad light, in my opinion deserved. To publicly admit that Indiana doesn't really care enough to provide pre-natal care to poor, pregnant women speaks poorly for Indiana. Omitted from the commercial was the fact that every 13 hours an infant dies in Indiana. I hope Pence runs for president and gets elected to get him out of Indiana before he does anymore damage, Let the whole country have a dose of this sorry excuse. Janet Collins Etna Green, via email
