[seneca]

Sure, but that hides most of the facts about how it works. There are a lot of parties involved in this, including people paying for it and being paid for it, and those paying probably out number those getting it for free at point of use. Sweeping that under the rug is just a sales ploy, which shows what the outlet wants you to believe about this program.

[benregenspan]

I wouldn't call using the most commonly accepted (and concise) terminology a "sales ploy". If you want every service to be accompanied by a wordy explanation of how it works, then every article would need to mention that the current status quo involves complicated taxpayer subsidy in the form of dependent care FSA accounts and a host of state-level programs.

[n4r9]

What else could it mean for a state-provided service to be "free"?

[plorg]

Might as well complain about how we get free roads and fire services.

[SV_BubbleTime]

No one has accused roads and fire services of being free.

[benregenspan]

This is a good example, because a "freeway" is free at point of use, but obviously understood to not be free of construction and maintenance cost. It is called "freeway" because "free-to-drive-on highway" would be too wordy.

[thunky]

> It is called "freeway" because "free-to-drive-on highway" would be too wordy.

This is wrong. "Freeway" comes from free flow of traffic:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/freeway.cfm

[justin66]

That taxpayers pay for government programs isn't the big revelation you seem to believe it is.

[baumy]

Yes, it actually is, to many people.

Poll a random subset of people with the question "are you in favor of free childcare?". X% will say yes.

Poll another set with the question "are you in favor of taxpayer funded childcare?". Y% will say yes.

I would bet any amount of money that X>Y, and (X-Y)% of people did not think about the fact that a free government service is not actually free.

Exactly how big X and Y are, I couldn't say. But identifying propaganda and deceptive language is never something that should be discouraged, even when it's advocating for a cause you agree with.