Is it just me, or are there too many journalists out there? All week long the press has been hammering us with reports about the negotiations to prevent a looming shutdown. Rumor upon innuendo upon speculation. A tidbit here, a fat guess there - nothing really substantive. And what about perspective. The dollars involved represent less than 0.2% of the federal budget. Not even a nano-dent. Rarely did we hear comment on that fact. As usual, our press corps got caught up in the frenzied vortex of what might happen. The distraction was troubling, especially given that we have actual issues that are in process, affecting others, tilting the world dangerously. We would have been just as well off had no reports been given throughout the week. Then, late Friday night, we would hear that "after a week of wrangling, the Congress has reached agreement to avert a government shutdown". That's something worth reporting, instead of the breathless, constant you-know-what-might-happen? George Washington may have had it right when he insisted that the Constitutional Convention meet in secret. Can you imagine the press reports over the 5 months debate - a daily dose of specualtion over what might be. Doubtful it would have gotten done at all. Instead, we have this circus, just one in the many rings of media and press distractions. They're supposed to be better than this.
