The growing transformation of the media into state media erodes the already thin line between the government ruling parties and their political allies in the media. Federal efforts to provide special subsidies and tax breaks failed in Congress, despite the complicity of some Republicans, but multiple states provide tax breaks and credits. Democrats claim that taxpayer funding of local media is necessary to “protect democracy” and stop “local media deserts”. If local residents really wanted to subsidize local papers, they could pay for them. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting may have finally shut down, but state media is more pervasive than ever.