The war on terrorism was a bait and switch operation.

But particularly when the media profess to strive toward objectivity, gatekeepers play a crucial role in helping people navigate the news to make educated political decisions.

Americans have always evinced some distrust of government, but the current situation has exacerbated this to a degree that may be unprecedented.

To own the dominant, or only, newspaper in a mid-sized American city was, for many decades, a kind of license to print money. In the Internet age, however, no one has figured out how to rescue the newspaper in the United States or abroad.

Liberals do not appear to address potential solutions with anything like the far right's aura of God-given self-confidence.

The war on terrorism was a bait and switch operation.

Veteran print editors and reporters at places like the 'Times' and 'The New Yorker' manage to feed and clothe their families without costing their companies a million bucks a month, and they produce a great deal more valuable reporting and analysis than the network news stars do.