Are you going to engage in simplistic stenography journalism, repeating the blatantly false and cynical claims of politicians and surrogates about “death panels,” “death books” and the like?

Or are you going to (finally) create some real consequences for sources that lie to you – consciously – and deny them access to the debate? And will you then base your reporting on, well, reporting (as Tom suggests), instead of merely repeating quotes you collect from local and national loudmouths?

The “reporting” by the cable news channels on this issue has been a disgrace to journalism and a disservice to the country. Newspapers and websites can, and must, do better.

The consequences of stenography journalism to our readers are real, and dangerous. Our marketplace of ideas cannot function so long as journalists use their power to corrupt it with demonstrably false ideas.