Summer Canning

            Time is nearly here to gather all the vegetables around us and start putting things by.  It’s a wonderful, bountiful activity that monopolizes our attention, except for the lawn, the occasional glass, and devouring the pablum of reality TV.

            Tearing away for a moment, we notice how quiet the air waves have been concerning the FBI’s passion for Associated Press reporters’ telephone call logs.  What should have produced an ‘Occupy’ movement barely garnered a whimper from us vegetables.  The agency’s review of two months of AP call records is chilling.  In the name of ‘National Security’ it seems no intrusion on privacy rights is too great. 

            Don’t misunderstand.  Our national security is vital.  But this comprehensive scrutiny of what is supposed to be (and occasionally is) an independent watch dog entity will make every patriot have second thoughts about blowing the whistle on government abuse of its power, its ability to hide misdeeds, and its natural tendency to lie.  Why? Because this administration has prosecuted more whistle blowers than all previous administrations combined! 

           The FBI’s important work must go on, and it would seem admirably patriotic for Washington to be more forthcoming.  But the fourth estate is our ticket to transparency.  More than any other influence on the three branches of government, transparency, provided by rigorous investigative journalism, keeps government miscreants in check.  That’s why it hurts every one of us when it is discouraged. 

           Around here, we notice that some ‘re canning, and some ‘re preserving secrets.