Powerline Blog and the Minnesota-based Freedom Club are running a contest called the "Power Line Prize". The person who submits a video, song, or similar that best illustrates what they call the "debt crisis" will win a whopping $100,000 (powerlineprize.com, link).

Here are some cautionary notes about the contest:

1. Engaging in the contest could mean ignoring other issues which are far more fundamental and vital than spending. Immigration will have a far more drastic impact on the future of the U.S. than China loaning us another trillion or two.

2. Powerline was (and still is) a strong supporter of George W Bush, a quisling who allowed millions of illegal aliens to stay in the U.S., who promoted a guest workers plan that would have sent U.S. middle class wages down towards world levels, and who colluded with the Democrats to let illegal aliens take jobs away from Katrina victims. Powerline is also a fan of the Koch family; the Kochs fund groups that advocate for loose and even open borders. David Koch even joined with George Soros to give $10 million to the Mexican government-linked American Civil Liberties Union. Powerline isn't exactly aces when it comes to opposing those who support massive/illegal immigration.

3. Engaging in the contest will further help make the tea parties/libertarians/fiscal cons/"Profits at Any Price" types look like children because the contest submissions can be "video, song, screenplay, television commercial, painting, Power Point, essay, performance art, or anything else". Dozens of teaparty types have produced an endless series of cutesy videos and the like that - as Powerline themselves admit - have failed to persuade people. Powerline is seeking the Cutesy Video to End All, rather than considering that maybe people just see through them. And, the $100,000 could probably be better spent on things that might actually work.

4. Anything you submit to the contest - whether it wins or not and whether it's a joke or not - becomes the "exclusive property" of Powerline and Freedom Club. You aren't just giving them a license to broadcast your submission, you're giving them the whole thing and you no longer own it at all.

But, wait, there's more:

Except where prohibited by law, participation in the Contest constitutes Entrant's consent to Sponsor's (and its successors', assigns', licensees' and designees') use of Entrant's name, biography, likeness, voice, photographs, video, opinions, hometown, state and country for promotional or other purposes in any manner or media (including, without limitation, online), world-wide, in perpetuity, and without further notice, payment, consideration or consent.

They don't just own your submission, they basically own *you*. And, you can't say anything about it unless they give permission:

Winner agrees that he/she/it will not conduct or participate in any media interview regarding this Contest or any prize without the express prior written permission of Sponsor.

The first rule of Freedom Club is you can't say anything about Freedom Club.

The other first rule is: don't trust those who pretend that debt and spending are the most important challenges the U.S. faces because they aren't.