Bad Precedent

Some people think it might be a good idea to do some kind of mileage charge for car drivers, rather than try to pay for roads through gas taxes. That seems like a question you could look into and assess based on facts, but some members of the Minnesota legislature have introduced a bill to prevent any publicly funded academic institution from studying the question.

I may have an opinion on the question, though I'd sure prefer to have an informed opinion based on some facts. But these legislators want to make sure there are no facts.

That's bad enough, but the precedent such a bill would set is even worse. Imagine legislating what subjects professors at public universities are allowed to pursue.

"We don't believe climate change is real, so you're forbidden from looking into that."

"We believe the sun revolves around the earth, so all you astronomers, get in line with us."

Where do these people get their ideas from? Maybe ALEC. Or maybe they're just straight out of the pre-Galileo Middle Ages.