WELCOME to the debut of “The Truth Is!”, a blog of reporting and commentary that aims to be informative, thoughtful and provocative. At least initially, the blog will have a strong heartland flavor by virtue of the connection of a number of us to Cowles family journalism. I am former editor of the Des Moines Register’s opinion pages. Another contributor, Michael Gartner, is former editor of the paper; he later served as president of NBC News. Another former Register editor who has agreed to contribute, Geneva Overholser, is director of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg school of journalism. Followers of the blog will have access also to the work of Herbert Strentz of Des Moines, a close Register and other newspaper watcher who once headed Drake University’s journalism school. Bill Leonard, a longtime Register editorial writer, will add insights.

“The Truth Is!” will be supervised by my daughter, Marcia Wolff, a communications lawyer for 20 years with Arnold and Porter (Washington, D.C.). Invaluable technical assistance in assembling and maintaining the blog is provided by my grandsons Julian Cranberg, a college first-year, and Daniel Wolff, a high school senior.

If you detect a whiff of nepotism in this operation, so be it. All of it is strictly a labor of love. —Gil Cranberg

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Gilbert Cranberg: ONE LESS WORD TO MESS WITH

“Reform” may be the most abused, most misused and sneakiest word in the English language. Its main meaning is “improve,” but if you want to dress up a proposition and give it a favorable connotation just tack on the word “reform” and any ugly duckling is magically transformed into something desirable.

Thus, immigration reform can stand for anything from shutting the nation’s borders to removing barriers entirely. The same with any issue currently in vogue, whether it be gun control, elections or taxes. What is one person’s reform is almost certain to be somebody else’s anathema.

In New York just now there is talk about bail reform. To some that means tightening pre-trial release to bar from release anyone who poses the least threat to public safety. To others it means ridding the system of bondsmen and any reliance on money bail. It’s as though while English is the nation’s common language, Americans can attach totally different meaning to the words they express it in.

With the convening of a fresh session of Congress and both parties pressing favorite issues, look for “reform” to receive a heavier than usual workout. So here is a modest proposal: let’s retire the word for any usage that expresses a sense of value. “Reform” in that sense has become so perverted that it misleads more than it informs. Who needs that kind of word? So goodbye “reform”, and good riddance.

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