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Tax revenue shrinks; sparring over ethics grows

Solid point Bob. With all the complaints people have about members of Congress (many of the complaints deserved), I can tell you that if any member of Congress took the kind of gifts these guys in the Utah legislature are taking, they'd end up in jail or at least out of office. Remember what happened to Tom Delay when his golf excursion in Scotland was disclosed. With the lax laws in Utah, it is nothing more than legalized bribery.

Read a Bob Bernick column and you get Bob Bernick's opinion. Don't come here looking for news.

Great column Bob! keep 'em honest! As far as skeptic is concerned: Bernick stated FACTS, not his opinion.

Bob Bernick and Lee Davidson are outstanding political columnists. Davidson's column of 2-16 entitled "Compromise Payday Loan Bill Advances" is excellent. It told about Senator Greg Bell's bill which would have put strict controls on payday lenders and called for more detailed information. Unfortunately it was killed in committee. The article also quoted Linda Hilton as saying that the new bill "is an industry sympathetic bill. It's essentially useless". Several states have already outlawed payday loans which charge 521% interest, and others are also considering the same. I think these companies should either be outlawed or the state usury law which was previously on the books setting a maximum of 45% interest should be put back on the books.(why was this law ever repealed?) But it looks like the money that the payday loan companies are pouring into the "right places" is going to swing the vote in their favor. WE REALLY NEED ETHICS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. Grant Misbach

Bob touts his ethics yet we really have no idea. He isn't required to disclose anything. We don't know how much he gets paid.

Let's see some disclosures Bob.

Bob Bernick,

YOU and Lee Davidson told tens of thousands of people that BILLS WITH NO TEXT - White space - Air - constituted "an apparent conflict of interest."

Did you forget that? You lied about people and the paper threw your lie on front porches throughout the state. You should be working overtime to restore the Deseret Morning News' damaged credibility. And your own.

Instead you attack the messengers with the old story you continually recycle for your news and opinion columns. That is much more revealing than you probably intended.

The paper should label you as a columnist and all would be well. To say you are a "reporter" stretches journalistic ethics and hurts us all.

Mr. Bernick states: "Oh, and how much in gifts did I take from individuals or groups trying to influence my reporting in 2007? Zero. Nada. Nothing."

We are being led to believe that Mr. Bernick has never received a gift from a friend who has influenced a story (in 2007 or any other year). I find that very hard to believe. Have you every had a tennis buddy, play tennis with you, buy a can of tennis balls for the match, purchase a drink for you, or share a meal with you, who has also influenced a story or shared information that resulted in a story? You do like tennis don't you, Mr. Bernick?

The Deseret News, owned by the LDS Church, would do well to set the highest ethical standards, replacing the questionable ones that have been in practice for years.

Why does the Deseret News censor so many comments? Comply with the disclaimer or change the disclaimer to state that most comments will not be posted regardless of content.

Bernick compares his ethical standard to politicians? Talk about setting a low bar. No standards vs pitifully low standards.

The truth is Bernick and Davidson are not reporters. They are just glorified gossip columnists.

In his speech at the Utah Taxpayer's Association meeting last May, Dmitrich actually boasted about a hunting trip with a coal industry specialist who informed him abut all the supposed benefits of "clean carbon." He doesn't even understand that he should be ashamed of himself. He sure makes me embarrassed to be a Democrat.

Don't back down, Bob, we the people are glad that someone is watching these bozos!

When the article has the picture of the writer next to it that's the indication that it's an opinion column. No ethical reporter would freelance as an op ed columnist. No ethical paper would let a writer fill both positions.

Merrill Cook is on this Blog? Well, the credibility of this blog is now completely undermined. It's great that Merrill can afford his internet connection, tho.

No one is questioning your reporting ethics, Bob, just your honesty and thoroughness. Leave out facts, misreport...well, you can expect this kind of response. Call someone unethical, you can also expect them to respond in defense of themselves.

Better bone up on your reporting. It's only hurting you and the paper to print such shoddily researched and misleading articles.