Army Wives Cancelled

Army Wives – a taxpayer-subsidized drama filmed on location in Charleston, S.C. – has been cancelled by the Lifetime Network.

Good riddance …

This show – which once threatened to leave the Palmetto State unless lawmakers agreed to keep doling out costly government film subsidies to its producers – bites the dust after seven seasons.

Army Wives made headlines in 2011 when newly elected S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley made a cameo on the program – and was treated (along with two dozen of her closest friends) to a swanky dinner and tour of the set. Haley was blasted for her appearance in light of her prior opposition to film subsidies.

We supporter her (original) position, by the way …

A 2008 published by College of Charleston economist Frank Hefner found that for every tax dollar spent on these giveaways, the state’s general fund received only 19 cents back.

That’s a terrible return on investment, but even if every tax dollar returned eleventy kabillion cents back to the general fund – it still doesn’t mean picking winners and losers in the entertainment business is a core function of government.