And what it depends on, of course, is whether the story itself is worth the ethical compromise it requires and whether the competition is onto the story.

Sexual behavior was also generally considered off limits.

Journalists, who are skeptical to begin with, simply do not like to be lied to or made fools of.

The relationship between press and politician - protected by the Constitution and designed to be happily adversarial - becomes sour, raw and confrontational.

Organizational structures that allow divisions and departments to own their turf and people with long tenure to take root creates the same hardened group distinctions as Congressional redistricting to produce homogeneous voting blocs - all of which makes it easier to resist compromise, let alone collaboration.

Laws to protect 'public health' are potentially infinite, especially once they no longer have to be supported by any research whatsoever.

Unions should not be lapdogs to a political party, they should be watchdogs for their members' interests.

Anti-New Deal rhetoric has never disappeared from American political life.