In a letter written before the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
Really, I'd say there's no reason to choose—just ditch government and keep the press. That should guide our thoughts as we consider the recent standoff between the Department of War Defense and almost all journalism operations, whose reporters turned in their Pentagon press badges rather than agree to a new policy that, among other things, bans the use of leaked information. Leaks are, as most news consumers should know, one of the better ways of getting insight into government officials' ongoing shenanigans. The current spat may actually encourage leaks—and better reporting.
