Writing on OpinionJournal.com, Daniel Henninger bemoans the lack of trust in the media, and proposes a solution:
The real winners here are the politicians. Pig heaven for them. If much of the public (a margin large enough to decide elections) believes it no longer has access to a settled information baseline, an agreed-upon set of facts, then it's so much easier for the pols, using this new arsenal of high-tech info firepower, to manipulate a doubtful public and push it around with propaganda (they can demographically target ads to the TV screens in health clubs).
Here's a low-tech solution to a high-tech problem. Why don't we finally institute an American version of the parliamentary question period common around the U.K.? If the likes of Messrs. Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Powell, Snow, Cheney and Bush had to appear before the House in this tightly regulated question-and-answer format, broadcast on C-Span, surely the public over time would acquire a clearer sense of which ideas are competing for their support and vote. Let's get to them, before they get to us.
Question Time is great, but there's unfortunately no way to compel the executive branch to submit itself to brutal questioning from the legislative branch, particularly Bush or Cheney. Damn separation of powers! (Just kidding.) And remember, the administration doesn't even hold press conferences except on very rare occasions. Still, it's good to see Henninger recognize the need for an agreed-upon information baseline for voters and aggressive, credible questioning of government.
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