It doesn't make sense to us but it apparently made sense to the Christmas tree industry. If they want to hand over their hard-earned cash to the government instead of an ad agency, that's their right. Being outraged at the government for taking it though just seems misplaced blame.
No, I am mad at the Government for it taking money at every turn and trying to regulate everything. That is not the purpose of Government, it is to defend the land, a job they are not doing, run post offices, a job they are doing incredibly poorly and to regulate commerce to keep it flowing between the States. In that they have taken the opposite stance and are using the commerce clause to overthrow states rights.
The Federal goverment needs to follow the limits described by the Constitution and stop subverting the Country.
This is not misplaced blame, the Goobermint needs to keep its very sticky fingers out of the Christmas Industry, along with ALL other industrys.