iPolitics: Michigan kids may get free MP3 players

State reps in Michigan want to give each child in that state a free iPod, courtesy of the taxpayers of that state.

That has to be one of the worst and most stupid proposed abuses of government power that I've ever heard of. The Detroit News expresses blunt outrage in an editorial about the proposal, that says it better than I can here.

You know, if this goes through, these Michigan politicians are going to be encouraging crime. Think about this for a minute: free iPods for people who might ordinarily not be able to afford an iPod. Well, is the government of Michigan going to be getting iTunes for all of those people to go along with their new iPods? Probably not. These kids will have an MP3 player but no MP3s. And the music for those iPods has to come from somewhere...

So if this goes through, the state of Michigan will in effect be encouraging illegal music downloading among its people. It would be like handing out free bongs but not supplying the marijuana: of course people would be looking for weed to use it with!

I'll bet the RIAA is already salivating at the legal prospects that would be coming with this, if this proposal passes (which hopefully it won't).