The relative free pass this administration has gotten from the Corporate Media (notwithstanding their labeling it "Liberal") has allowed massive injustices to go unchallenged. On the other hand, if not for a few whistleblowers and courageous reporters we would be even worse off than we are now. Go here: http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/05/imprisoning-journalists.... for a concise look at what we now know because of patriotic "leakers."

Now the administration is threatening to imprison journalists who publish leaked information. In my opinion this could be a GOOD thing.

Why? Because only if the MSM perceives itself to be in the cross-hairs of this administration will they finally decide to act like the professionals they purport to be. The party invitations, the access to meetings (where they either hear canned talking points, or off-the-record information that they cannot publish), the inside-the-beltway comfort zone may just not be worth it if journalists who do the right thing end up in jail.

The bland and relatively few inches devoted so far to the ABC journalists whose phones were tapped are an example of the complacency of the press. I find it very disheartening that the very person who is most publically identified with the NSA spying is sailing through his CIA hearing with nary a word from the press, other than that he is indeed "sailing through."

If the administration follows through and charges some of the press with publishing classified information and actually sends them to jail, maybe THEN the media will wake up to the fact that there is a very real threat to our democratic way of life.

I doubt very seriously that Nancy Reagan would have a word to say about stem cell research if Alzheimers Disease had not affected her so tragically and personally. The media that we all have come to depend on (although less so, thanks to sites like this) may only respond when they are affected personally as well.

If that's what it takes, then I hope that a critical mass of journalists will go to jail, or at least be at risk, so that the others will get going!