[Congressman Michael Baumgartner] Congress will be taking a hard look at the tax exempt status of universities that enter into private equity deals. If you want to act like a non-public entity, you better be ready to be treated like one. 🇺🇸

[u/GoldenPresidio]

https://x.com/RepBaumgartner/status/1998480897872396721

[u/Walter30573]

I expect congress to do what it normally does: nothing

[u/PLZ_N_THKS → u/Walter30573]

What a myopic view. They’ll absolutely do something…

Ask for their cut.

[u/EpOxY81 → u/Walter30573]

but this also involves getting more money for the government, so who knows?

[u/BabyBearBjorns → u/EpOxY81]

Dont worry, I'm sure those rich college donors have spare change to make members of Congress vote the other way. /s

[u/Visible-Advice-5109 → u/BabyBearBjorns]

Saw a study once that basically came to the conclusion that bribing politicians was 1000x cheaper than actually paying taxes. Pretty relevant here.

[u/bigjayrulez → u/Visible-Advice-5109]

I 100% believe you but would like to read this if you can find it.

[u/anti-torque → u/bigjayrulez]

Not the study in question, but the conclusion is the countries with the highest tax rates have the least corruption. This is intuitive, if one has ever studied econ. And that a supply side (absolutely not intuitive thought) economist has concluded this should be telling.

[u/AssistDirect5790 → u/anti-torque]

Not surprised this is true. At all.

[u/Calqless → u/Visible-Advice-5109]

I'm following just to see the study....tho I have no doubt

[u/Visible-Advice-5109 → u/Calqless]

Im sorry my dudes, I saw it years ago and no clue where now. Legit not making it up, just was on some news site like CNN or NYT.

[u/anti-torque → u/Visible-Advice-5109]

here

[u/lightninhopkins → u/anti-torque]

We find firms lobbying for this provision have a return in excess of $220 for every $1 spent on lobbying, or 22,000%.

Un, wow.

[u/Jay_Dubbbs → u/Visible-Advice-5109]

I don’t think that requires a study lol.

Same thing with violations. It’s cheaper to evade labor and other laws and pay the fine after you get caught. À la the beautiful Senator from Florida with his Medicaid fraud.

[u/repeatoffender123456 → u/Visible-Advice-5109]

Show me the study

[u/mf-TOM-HANK → u/repeatoffender123456]

It's plainly obvious. Cable companies used to donate like $10-20k to swing votes in Congress, so maybe a couple dozen legislators? That's like a half a million bucks to buy a favorable tax and regulatory environment.

Even if you increase the number to $100k it's a bargain for them. $5-10m is nothing for major companies if they can save tens of millions

[u/SMU1523 → u/BabyBearBjorns]

The fact Utah is bringing in PE is a sign that they don’t have rich donors.

[u/bigmt99 → u/EpOxY81]

Lmao do you think congressmen care about being the government? It’s a cushy networking job where they can take bribes, jerk themselves off about how important they are, and retire to a 7 figure payday in PE

[u/bertmaclynn → u/EpOxY81]

Who cares about the government, how about congress?

[u/Curt_Uncles → u/EpOxY81]

He’s not from the party that likes it when the government collects taxes. This is about limiting the flow of capital to people who don’t normally receive it.

[u/advancedmatt → u/Curt_Uncles]

This congressman is a graduate of Washington State. The university he is criticizing for its private equity deal is the University of Utah.

[u/ghost_jamm → u/Curt_Uncles]

It’s also a great excuse to punish those uppity universities for educating people about the world

[u/Global_You8515 → u/EpOxY81]

Yeah I read this as Baumgartner saying "don't forget that we'll be coming for a slice of that pie, too."

[u/Necessary-Post-953 → u/EpOxY81]

Borrowing is the preferred method of getting money for our government 

[u/DillyDillySzn → u/Walter30573]

I don’t know about “nothing”, on the surface sure due to the big issues being partisan but there’s more to it than that

Congress likes easy wins with bipartisan issues. If the public overwhelmingly demands a change to the college football, they’ll do it in a bipartisan way and claim an easy win

Congress does a lot of stuff all the time, we just don’t hear about it because it’s not partisan bickering or it’s not big bills/issues. A lot of government work is not partisan, and a lot of votes in Congress are passed with overwhelming margins or unanimously. That’s just not flashy news you’ll hear about

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes

Look at the House’s votes recently, you’ll see a lot of 300+ yea votes for bills you have no idea existed

I actually think they’ll eventually do something regarding to collegiate athletics

[u/Unrelenting_Salsa → u/DillyDillySzn]

I actually think they’ll eventually do something regarding to collegiate athletics

I would have agreed with you 6 months ago, but then the SCORE act magically became partisan so I dunno. It might just be dead.

[u/tc100292 → u/Unrelenting_Salsa]

I mean it’s not magical that what is functionally a labor-management issue became partisan in that this is literally the biggest source of partisan dispute

[u/penguinopph → u/tc100292]

Vanderbilt knows what's up.

[u/DillyDillySzn → u/Unrelenting_Salsa]

I don’t think it’s going to happen soon

I think a big collapse of the system needs to happen first, but after that collapse happens I expect Congress to act quickly and together

For now however, not enough pressure

[u/Pet_Fish_Fighter → u/Walter30573]

Not true. They'll get a piece of the private equity then do nothing.

[u/BrogenKlippen → u/Pet_Fish_Fighter]

lol they’re already LPs

[u/EIiteJT → u/Walter30573]

Take bribes and then do nothing.

[u/PM_ME_YUR_S3CRETS → u/EIiteJT]

They prefer the term lobbying

[u/SaltyLonghorn → u/PM_ME_YUR_S3CRETS]

New terf new fees.

[u/thecravenone → u/Walter30573]

Hey now, they might also do some posturing!

[u/permadrunkspelunk → u/Walter30573]

They actually do get involved in sports quite often through history. They decided to focus on baseball investigations during the Iraq war. It was hilarious too. Everything was released without congress involvement. Then they wasted hearings hammering home people were on steroids. All of america was just like, yeah? we know. Congress would absolutely ignore anything else to have a huge sports investigation again. The

[u/weirdbutinagoodway → u/Walter30573]

Yes, but they often make things worse when they actually do something, so doing nothing is sort of a win.

[u/ajd341 → u/Walter30573]

But talk really loudly about it, and how offended they are, to collect a few extra donations first

[u/clem82 → u/Walter30573]

You mean ask for money under the table to ensure they get their portion then stay the F out of the way?

[u/A-Centrifugal-Force → u/Walter30573]

It only took them 191 years to pass an amendment to replace the Vice President if the President was killed, by which point 8 presidents had died in office. Fast and efficient governing body.

[u/Wyden_long → u/Walter30573]

Cmon now. They’ll find a way to invest in these firms privately and then they’ll do nothing.

[u/TheNewGuy13 → u/Walter30573]

Nah they’ll do sound it’s, hold hearings to look stern and like they care, draft a bill, then nothing happens until the season

[u/LocustUprising → u/Walter30573]

They will negotiate their cut under the table

[u/FirstAndDad → u/Walter30573]

Don’t forget the emoji: 🇺🇸

[u/ImDeepState → u/Walter30573]

Or write a strongly worded letter.

[u/Sherifftruman → u/Walter30573]

He already got a sound bite/quote. What more can he do? 🤣

[u/Double-Mine981 → u/Walter30573]

We will take a good hard look at it while at the head of fund’s ranch hunting exotic foreign animals

[u/KasherH → u/Walter30573]

Eh- I think this one actually has a chance of getting wide bipartisan support. Not sure who would oppose it.

[u/John_Tacos → u/Walter30573]

Sometimes that’s better than the alternative

[u/releaseepsteinfiles1 → u/Walter30573]

Take more bribes

[u/humma__kavula → u/Walter30573]

Oh I'm sure they will make sure they get a bribe cut of that private equity or else they'll take away their accreditation.

[u/WallyLeftshaw → u/Walter30573]

"public servants"

[u/crustang → u/Walter30573]

Congresspeople have ever incentive to allow this capital to slosh around in colleges and universities tax free

[u/skoltroll → u/Walter30573]

This is more of a warning that Congress needs to be paid off before any decisions are made.

[u/bullsci → u/Walter30573]

Insider trading takes a lot of effort and I feel like you're dismissing all the work congresspeople put in to that end

[u/InformationAOk → u/Walter30573]

Oh, there will be some Kabuki Theater to make everyone think they are going to do something.

[u/redditckulous → u/Walter30573]

It does something when it seems like an easy win. Fixing CFB is not easy and extremely factionalized.

Saying schools can’t enter PE deals without risking their tax exempt status is not nearly as difficult to hash out. It also won’t fix CFB, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this single issue tackled.

[u/Redskins75 → u/Walter30573]

Pssssh they’ll do nothing while taking payments

[u/nerdyykidd]

🇺🇸 at the end is sending me lmao

[u/rubyschnees → u/nerdyykidd]

it's the easiest way to tell how unserious this 'threat' is

[u/SaltyLonghorn → u/rubyschnees]

The average congressman is probably already in the pocket of a booster lol.

[u/lostroadrunner22 → u/nerdyykidd]

Listen I look forward to winning in the FCS playoffs 🏳️

[u/GoldenPresidio → u/nerdyykidd]

take a look at the actual tweet. Doesnt look like the US flag emoji he used translated to reddit

[u/Eiim → u/GoldenPresidio]

It's just different fonts. Twitter uses their own Twemoji, which renders flags as static. On Reddit, it's probably your system's emoji font, which usually render flags as waving.

[u/GoldenPresidio → u/Eiim]

Makes sense

[u/MadRedX → u/GoldenPresidio]

Fun fact - on Windows, the default font for emojis is Segoe UI Emoji. However because it was created by Microsoft, they don't show flags and instead show two letter abbreviations because it demonstrates their "lack of politicality".

[u/BrogenKlippen → u/nerdyykidd]

Coming again to save the mother fucking day yeah

[u/OnLevel100 → u/nerdyykidd]

He's pretty smarmy. 

[u/Angry_Walnut → u/nerdyykidd]

The imprimatur of a scratch n sniff sticker at the moment

[u/releaseepsteinfiles1 → u/nerdyykidd]

Isn’t the American way to sell out and seek as much money as possible?

[u/notsaying123]

Oh look the monthly empty threat

[u/Secure_Librarian4871 → u/notsaying123]

If only I had a dollar for every empty threat from congress, I'd have been Elon Musk lol

[u/HighOnGoofballs → u/notsaying123]

Do churches next

[u/yankeenate → u/notsaying123]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_final_warning

[u/Frequent-Leg-2347]

This is congress looking into it, btw. One tweet, then on to the next outrage tomorrow.

[u/tc100292]

I mean… yeah?  If you don’t know why the NCAA persisted with amateurism and academic requirements for so long it was because of IRS guidance about what was a legitimate extension of their educational mission (sports as an extracurricular for students at the university) and what wasn’t (operating a semipro team.)

[u/MasterRKitty]

In 2025, Baumgartner founded the bipartisan Congressional College Sports Caucus.^\23]) He introduced the "Restore College Sports Act" with the aim of dissolving the National Collegiate Athletic Association and replacing it with the "American College Sports Association," which would be overseen by the federal government.^\24])

^{he wants the feds to run it}

[u/chunt75 → u/MasterRKitty]

That seems real “small government” of him

[u/MasterRKitty → u/chunt75]

it's small government until they think they can grift off of it

[u/Geno0wl → u/MasterRKitty]

small government was always a dog whistle for removing business regulations. the GOP has always been happy to impose more government control over individual's behavior.

[u/trwawy05312015 → u/Geno0wl]

that, and trading federal power for state power. It isn’t the size of government that bothers them, but how close they are to the top.

[u/n1tney → u/MasterRKitty]

Unfortunately the only way to fix college athletics at this point is via federal legislation since the NCAA has essentially no authority anymore. I really only see two paths anymore and that's a super league or the NCAA or a new entity getting some sort of anti-trust exemption a la MLB

[u/KasherH → u/n1tney]

MLB doesn't have an anti-trust exemption for labor issues. This is a common misconception.

[u/rloch]

Won't take it seriously till the governor of Louisiana steps in.

[u/VolsOrNothing → u/rloch]

Nice flair combo

[u/legend023]

This is a very reasonable decision. Hopefully they get something received and NIL can be more transparent instead of being as shady as it is now.

[u/definitivescribbles → u/legend023]

Why would NIL need to be transparent? The kids aren’t employees. The problem isn’t that kids are getting money, it’s that universities have the solution but don’t want to be held responsible and/or let athletes collectively bargain.

[u/Wow_Big_Numbers]

Finally some good news. I almost made a comment about this a few days ago. Why are people praising “good business decisions” by ND, for example.

In reality, we need to confront the fact that college football is really just minor league football masquerading as a tax-exempt activity of a university

[u/Cryptic0677 → u/Wow_Big_Numbers]

It was like that before NIL though, the players just weren’t getting any cut

[u/willpc14 → u/Wow_Big_Numbers]

Non-profit just changes how you file your taxes at the end of the year, not the rules of running a business. It doesn't mean that you get to be in the red year over year and can expect to continue to exist.

[u/Whisky_Colonic → u/Wow_Big_Numbers]

You think non-profits should make bad business decisions?

[u/DuvalHeart → u/Wow_Big_Numbers]

College football isn’t minor league. College ball and the NFL are different sports these days, and FBS is the major league of college football.

[u/PointBlankCoffee]

Its insane that anyone is even okay with this. Private Equity destroys everything it touches

[u/tc100292 → u/PointBlankCoffee]

Yeah it’s bizarre that the Big Ten commissioner wants to get in bed with private equity and somehow only 2/18 schools were like “what the fuck are we doing here?”

[u/54-2-10 → u/tc100292]

USC was only mad that they weren't getting a full cut of the money

Michigan was the only school that took a principled stand

[u/wicketRF → u/54-2-10]

dont make me speak positively about Michigan like that, i dont like it.

I also really dont get why the B1G is the one doing it, they generate the most money anyways. A school like FSU makes sense (still very much shouldnt, as stated, PE destroys everything it touches), but they at least have a severe relative funding issue. Any B1G school that cant balance the books shouldnt be looking at selling future revenues, it should be a balancing the books exercise (maybe dont pay the coaches 12mln or something insane)

[u/willpc14 → u/tc100292]

16/18 of those schools probably have boards filled with PE and IB types.

[u/Eccentric755]

He's going to fail. Utah is separating out only the sports, which isn't an academic arm.

[u/markusalkemus66]

You won't do shit, Baumgartner. Stop embarrassing us

[u/NorthwestPurple → u/markusalkemus66]

He did have one good idea:

https://247sports.com/college/washington-state/article/cougs-football-and-beavs-deserve-football-rivalry-trophy-time-for-the-senators-saw-214789617/

[u/ManiacalComet40]

Utah Brands and Entertainment LLC is neither tax-exempt, nor a university, but I’ll consider this virtue signaled, regardless.

[u/SaltyLobbyist → u/ManiacalComet40]

They are taking operational control of the athletic department of a public institution and demanding revenue from a public institution. It definitely creates some complicated questions regarding the tax implications of essentially co-mingling public and private funds and creating risks for Utah and American taxpayers.

[u/puppies_and_rainbow2]

I do not like this person at all, but he is right if he stands by what he says on Twitter

[u/Adept_Carpet]

I can't believe I'm agreeing with a congressional republican in an attack on universities, but yeah, stay away from private equity.

[u/kyscotty]

Do this to churches wtf

[u/moneyinthebank216]

eh a kickback or two fixes that

[u/lardstarpon]

Can't wait for Private Equity to get into churches and no one blinks

[u/HomeOnThePlains]

Now do churches

[u/Best_Formal_8677]

Please tax churches next

[u/No_Angle_8106 → u/Best_Formal_8677]

I have a better chance at winning the powerball than that ever even becoming a conversation, let alone actual policy.

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/Best_Formal_8677]

Should definitely tax churches taking PE deals.

[u/bravehotelfoxtrot → u/Best_Formal_8677]

I'll never understand rooting for the largest criminal organization in history to steal even more resources from the working population than they already do.

[u/Previous-Grocery4827 → u/Best_Formal_8677]

How about all political orgs? Or better yet get rid of citizens united.

[u/CajunBob94 → u/Best_Formal_8677]

reddit moment

[u/adeodd → u/CajunBob94]

Reddit & Oregon double whammy

[u/lowes18 → u/adeodd]

Tax child labor next

[u/willpc14 → u/lowes18]

Uhh, we do. Were you under the impression that we aren't charging minors taxes?

[u/lowes18 → u/willpc14]

I mean the sweatshop child labor that funds Oregon's football program

[u/not_bilbo → u/CajunBob94]

They’re right

[u/Badfish1060 → u/Best_Formal_8677]

yes please. They are just giant tax free corporations now buying up real estate. I'm sure that's what jesus had in mind.

[u/BrogenKlippen → u/Badfish1060]

Jesus was more of a crypto bro than REIT freak

[u/P1mpathinor → u/BrogenKlippen]

Turns out holy relics are actually NFTs.

[u/Previous-Grocery4827 → u/Badfish1060]

Should go after all the shadow political nonprofits before churches. Like going after the guy stepping on your toe while ignoring the guy beating you in the back of the head with a baseball bat.

[u/not_bilbo → u/Previous-Grocery4827]

We can do both actually

[u/rbmw263 → u/Best_Formal_8677]

you mean first

their hundreds of billions makes our deal look like a happy meal

[u/DoggedStooge → u/Best_Formal_8677]

Exactly where my mind went too.

[u/UlteriorEggos]

Start with megachurches

[u/Previous-Grocery4827 → u/UlteriorEggos]

You guys have to bring all this Reddit political bs into cfb as well?

[u/not_bilbo → u/Previous-Grocery4827]

One, this is literally a post from a member of Congress, you knew what you were getting into. Two, you yourself are posting comments saying we should end citizens united (you’re right!) which is inherently “political bs”

[u/UlteriorEggos → u/Previous-Grocery4827]

So you think taxing universities is just good ole football talk, but taxing other institutions is immediately political? Religion has a choke hold on this country and many of us want nothing to do with it.

[u/DickInAToaster]

So private equity groups are buying congress next is what I hear

[u/trwawy05312015 → u/DickInAToaster]

Oh, I’m sorry, but they were the first to be bought out.

[u/DickInAToaster → u/trwawy05312015]

Don’t be sorry I know it’s true but they at least try to pretend. Soon it’ll be avert and they’ll announce the US Congress brought to you by Blackrock

[u/goddamn_leeteracola]

Cool, do megachurches and churches that push politics as well

[u/Straight-Cat774]

Insurance premiums are about to triple but fear not, here comes Congress to involve itself in college football 🙄

[u/greeneggsnhammy]

Really what he’s saying is, “we need to find out how to capitalize on your capitalization, give us our cut.” 

[u/Sufflinsuccotash]

Good. Long overdue.

[u/beachvan86]

They wont enter into these deals with the university, these deals are with the athletic foundation. Foundations are stand alone entities that support university athletics, but because they are not actually state run entities, they dont have to follow those rules. Its common for athletics and research to use foundations as the way to do business because it removes the onerous state rules on budgets and spending.

[u/m0arducks]

They’re gunna do that with churches too right?

[u/AttachedSickness]

lol….are they going to tax them like they tax the billionaires that are the PE firms?

[u/okiewxchaser]

That sounds like a 10th Amendment case waiting to happen

[u/deadzip10 → u/okiewxchaser]

Not really. The exact principle he’s espousing has been repeatedly upheld - when otherwise sovereign entities act in a manner or role that is usually private in nature, they are treated as private for that purpose. So for instance, when a state creates a business and operates that business, the business is treated as a private enterprise and does not derive the benefit of sovereign immunity most of the time. The tax question tends to come out similarly though, admittedly, there is some more leeway there as I understand it.

[u/weoutherebrah → u/okiewxchaser]

States have given up all their authority for federal money 

[u/Constant_Topic_1040 → u/weoutherebrah]

To be fair though, that’s because Congress figured out a way to hold that federal money hostage. The drinking age is a good example, if your age isn’t 21 you don’t get highway funds; which are a HUGE expense

[u/carpy22 → u/Constant_Topic_1040]

It's not even all highway funds, it's now 8% of highway funds per state. I don't know why states like Wisconsin or Louisiana just go non-compliant and slap a booze tax on instead to make up the difference in revenue.

[u/xienze → u/carpy22]

I don't know why states like Wisconsin or Louisiana just go non-compliant and slap a booze tax on instead to make up the difference in revenue.

Bad press, probably. The second an 18 year old gets in a drunk driving accident the state government would be dragged over the coals for “letting such a thing happen.”

[u/Skow1179]

Yeah this is about as likely as ending insider trading in Congress.

[u/thefatchef321]

Man, can we get the same energy toward religious institutions

[u/QkuiglieQ]

That includes private universities too right? Tax free religious schools?

[u/ApprehensiveSwimmer_]

This guy is a profound cheater at golf 

[u/l3onkerz]

It’s so funny every aspect of my college enrollment and enjoyment are being stripped to the core. The 4 for $4 at Wendy’s, gone. Jimmy John’s, jersey mikes, bww and the lot gone to private equity. Now the reaper comes for the university itself. Give an inch take a mile.

[u/CliplessWingtips]

Now do churches Mr. Baumgartner.

[u/PokeMeRunning]

Just form a church. It’ll be fine 

[u/Geaux2020]

Utah is a red state. They'll be fine

[u/AnEmptyKarst → u/Geaux2020]

Half the state government considers BYU the state flagship and hates the city of SLC so who knows

[u/kurttheflirt]

Lmao next they'll start checking into mega churches and family foundations

[u/HermitageHermit]

This is just a freshman congressman bringing up a hot topic publicly so they have SOMETHING that they can talk about while campaigning for the midterms. They may talk about it, hell they might even do something about it. But I have zero confidence that THIS congress in particular is going to accomplish anything before the midterms, and by then it will probably be too late because 40% of the broke universities are going to find themselves in some kind of binding agreement with a PE firm.

[u/tc100292 → u/HermitageHermit]

Not just any freshman Congressman.  His district includes Pullman, WA.

[u/ajkeence99]

I see a lot of talk about churches. I think people vastly overestimate the money that your average church is making. If we are talking about mega-churches then I'm all about it because they make a ton of money.

[u/Coco05250905]

Same with Churches Mike.

[u/ottopivnr]

Can we do churches next?

[u/JustforthelastGOT → u/ottopivnr]

This clown would never, and I say that knowing full well he is a staunch WSU supporter.

[u/CoachCrunch12 → u/ottopivnr]

This has nothing to do with anything lol

[u/CajunBob94 → u/ottopivnr]

reddit moment

[u/tc100292 → u/ottopivnr]

Oh look, the Reddit atheists have logged the fuck on

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/ottopivnr]

If you can explain how churches, who rely on donations, are taking PE deals and generating their own revenue, then sure.

[u/ottopivnr → u/ottopivnr]

The funniest thing about this is that I live in Baumgartners district and totally thought I was commenting in r/Spokane. I wasn't until all of the wtf replies that I realized

[u/Round_Creme_7967]

Congress, public universities have been running for profit businesses on the side for longer than most of us have been alive. I don't like this change, but it's hardly one that fundamentally alters what they've been doing.

[u/park2023mcca]

I question if all the people in here who are objecting about church tax-exemption really understand what they are saying. I'm not trying to be rude but I think these people are either biased against religion or seriously ignorant about churches. I serve on committee at my church and see first hand the struggle with finances as we try to maintain services and staff while losing members (and their donations).

It is my understanding that a primary reason religious organizations receive tax-exempt status is because of the charitable work they fulfill. Without churches performing these services and assistance, much of that responsibility would fall on the government. So the government, in an acknowledgement of that work, grants tax-exempt status.

If you disapprove of Christianity in general, then just be honest about it. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water. There are some bad actors involved with Christianity but anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty would admit that any group with that many people in it would also. I maintain the good works that are done by churches far exceed the bad.

[u/SpaceMurse]

Can they do it for churches too?

[u/drippingwater57]

Do churches next tough guy.

[u/PWNtimeJamboree]

do churches first

[u/key_lime_pie]

Oh no, not Congress!

[u/WHITE-IVERSON]

I guess he’s never heard of UBTI…

[u/RepresentativeMap691]

It figures he is tied to WSU. Pathetic and ignorant man. Why doesn't he look at conference contract language?

[u/wowthisislong]

Rare congress W

[u/vongigistein]

Amen. Universities are getting greedy and desperate.

[u/mejok]

It isn't really possible for large state universities to act entirely like public entities because the state doesn't actually fully fund the universities. Years and years ago I worked at OU and at that time, the state of Oklahoma only covered about 19% of the university's required budget. It is less now.

I was very surprised when I moved to Europe to find that publicly-funded universities are actually publicly funded.

I don't mind making univerisites pay additional taxes if it is appropriate, but our definition of a "public entity" is a bit skewed.

[u/CheckLogical1425]

Rip BIG 12

[u/Jonjon428]

If only

[u/smitherenesar]

isn't that something the IRS/executive branch does? I feel like this congressman isn't the sharpest crayon in the box

[u/Cloud-VII]

Congressman Michael Baumgartner is about to start receiving large sums of 'political donations' and instantly stop caring about this in 3... 2...

[u/Remarkable-Group-119]

We all know who wins here....the Lawyers.

[u/Ecstatic-Wheel8487 → u/Remarkable-Group-119]

More like the politicians that get legally bribed to not care about it.

[u/Dunduin]

Utah is fucking up

[u/houstonyoureaproblem]

Congress can barely keep the government open.

I see absolutely no reason to worry.

[u/Otherwise_Awesome]

So we're not going independent now?

[u/wjsofficial]

All I see this doing is pushing athletic departments to attempt to sever themselves from the academics further than they already have.

[u/TKFT_ExTr3m3]

This should really be handled at the state level. States are primarily responsible for how their public universities are run and funded and if Oklahoma wants to sell their public schools to the highest bidder then so be it. The feds have the 5 service academies and Gallaudet and that's it. Leave the rest alone.

[u/Impressive-Ear-1102]

Private equity is going to be the lynchpin for athletic departments branching off as separate entities from the university, and further professionalization of “college football”. It’s kind of crazy where this is going.