https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0711/1309666-media-commission/ (I get the irony of linking to rte.ie for a news story) indicates that the fee may be changed to be a wider funding of the arts and media in Ireland. That would make me consider changing my mind and stance, but at that point I'd rather see a % based take-off of my income so that less affluent households are affected to a lesser degree.

It's interesting to me how people can rationalize the government coming into their homes from every possible angle. The idea that a government agent can --according to the law-- come into your home to determine if you have a TV is nothing less than dystopian to me.

Funding the BBC? Have a separate tax people can vote on to fund the BBC. If they think it has value they can vote every n years to keep it funded.

I feel quite strongly that both liberals and conservatives have lost their ways. Freedom should be a top class unassailable right that rules all decisions. I am not taking about no government and complete mayhem. What I am talking about is government becoming a brutal beast that swallows it all and controls it all.

I'll give you an example of this. We live by a lake. I can walk there. It's beautiful. I love walking around the lake. However, I cannot dip my toes in the water. I cannot walk along the shore in water up to my ankles. It is illegal. I could be fined a non-trivial amount for this. No, this is not a source of drinking water at all. There are people fishing and kayaking in the lake. There are a couple of zones designated for swimming (only when allowed and lifeguards are present). Getting your feet wet, either sitting at the edge of the water or walking, not permitted.

Every time I go there I think "Land of the Free" (a common US phrase and part of the national anthem) in a sarcastic tone. It's ridiculous that we have allowed things to get this far. And this is a simple example. We need less government, not more.