The N&R "In Denial": Instead Of Seven Years, Try Ten

I used to be amused when watching damage control. Now it just pisses me off.

On Saturday we were treated to a missive from the N&R in which (right out of the playbook) it chided NC Governor Mike Easley for being "in denial" "seven years too late" in terms of expressing reservations about the disastrous mental health reforms adopted during his administration. The paper pointed out what I did just a few days ago (and for my trouble, getting "coned" for it by some of Edward's groupies).

Mike Easley IS a liar and a coward. The N&R (who usually has its nose up Governor Sleazeley's butt) just said it nicer and after the fact of nearly everyone else . . . with prettier buzz-words like "mis-stated the facts" and "in denial" and "absolutely not true".

Now, right out of the damage-control playbook, Easley announces he is going to fix the problems before he leaves office. And he's still trying to pass the mess off on his former DHHS Secretary, the well-married & connected Carmen-Hooker-Odom.

Did I say coward?

Well, Oo-rah. Easley's sudden attention to detail does not change the fact that millions were wasted (so not the first time) and people are dead. But the fact is that Mike Easley's administration never met a suit it did not suck up to and/or throw money at (they're called "incentives", kiddies . . . and at DHHS/in healthcare, they're called Certificates of Need).

If the suit mis-behaved . . . especially if you and the suit were buddies) . . . well, all you & your administration really have to do is be "discretionary" and look the other way.

I've got news for the N&R and Mike Easley. They're both about TEN years too late in terms of enforcing laws that protect health-care providers and patients from the dirty tricks that the "nice" businessmen play.

It's time to wake up and do some reporting. The N&R might try doing that before the fact instead of after. The concepts of blogging and citizen journalism might come into play . . . if their Editor would stop banning people/sources that challenge his methods & apparently delicate sensibilities . . . and calling them "troll".

Until then, the N&R's sad, sorry "staff" editorials are just tired, hot air.