The problem with rules

While rules are undoubtedly vital to having order in society, sometimes they create more disorder instead of restoring order.

There's been a recent discussion about blogger access in Minnesota. Media access in general is crucial, especially with a new president and the country's recession. When any journalist is denied access, it shows a lack of transparency and a desire to keep something hidden from the public. The media will often be told it's about security, even though it usually isn't.

Bloggers can be journalists. But anyone can be a blogger. A 5-year-old can sit down at a computer with Internet access, create an account at blogspot.com and write a few sentences about the toy he or she just got for Christmas or frustration with parents. Believe it or not, that's a blog. Therefore, letting in all bloggers to a state capitol or Congressional meetings could cause problems.

There needs to be some kind of standard that a blogger would have to meet in order to get access. But it needs to be fair, so critics won't be excluded. Bloggers are often less afraid of asking the tough questions that mainstream media wouldn't even dare thinking to ask. I'm not sure what the standard should be, but I think there should be one. Readership should certainly be a significant factor. The standards have to be measurable to ensure fairness.