Walter In Denver

I've been paid by the Bush White House to speak out against twee music. And to help ensure that the No Screaming Tree Left Behind Act is passed this year in congress.

I feel so ashamed.

I'm sure you seen this: leftie bloggers paid by Dean. Kos is one, and he's also (of course) one of those screaming that all conservative pundits must be assumed to be paid flaks until proven otherwise.

Of course, I consider Atrios and Willis to be paid comentators because of their employment by Media Matters. They'll tell you they aren't paid for their blogs, but it's a very fine line since it was their blogging that got them hired in the first place.

I think the big question is who is paid by the government (using our tax money to covertly promote taxpayer-funded programs). That's the Armstrong Williams issue (and to a similar degree the whole Drug Czar fake news segments). Currently, if there are more instances, they are likely to be on the right, because the current administration is unlikely to hire those on the left.

A secondary question that is valid, but of less critical current importance, is who has done that in the past, left or right or libertarian (hah!)

A question of completely another sort, is whether individuals have taken private money to promote a company or a politician, or an organization, and whether they disclosed that (and whether the money was specifically for the purpose of getting coverage or for other purposes -- almost all bloggers have day jobs of some kind). This is important as it affects whether I should believe their neutrality, and I have to analyze each situation as a reader myself.

But it's not of the criminal nature of the Williams' case where I, through my tax money, am paying for someone to lie to me. That's a completely different category.