After decades of arrogance and condescension to their readers, newspapers now find themselves in need of public support like they’ve never needed it before. But, guess what? It’s not there:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 84% oppose a three percent (3%) tax on monthly cell phone bills to help newspapers and traditional journalism.

Similarly, 76% oppose a proposed five percent tax on the purchase of consumer electronic items such as computers, iPads and Kindles to help support newspapers and traditional journalism. Seventy-four percent (74%) oppose the proposal to tax web sites like the Drudge Report to help the newspapers they draw their headlines from.

Each of these ideas was suggested for consideration in a recent FTC report.

It’s disgraceful that the government is floating such an idea. It’s even more disgraceful that newspapers would probably go along with a government bailout.