Bob CollinsBack in the day of newspapers, I always thought it odd when the paper would run a picture of a columnist and then waste space with a headline “XXXXX is not writing today.” I guess it saved literally tens of people from spending the bulk of their day looking for XXXXX’s column, but to me it seemed like a promotion for what’s not in the paper today. Now that I think of it, though, that’d be a fun rag to read.
Oh, by the way, I’m not writing today.
Which is not to mean I’m not working. I am. I’m just not writing until later in the day, probably late tonight (after I help both of my sons load up a truck and move).
This afternoon, however, I am following Lisa Kloster around in Hastings. She’s one of the public defenders in Dakota County. I’ll be writing a not-live blog documenting her afternoon.
About 72 public defenders are going to be lopped off the system, thanks to the latest budget cuts. It’s not a phenomenon limited to Minnesota, however.
If there’s one group in the public that doesn’t get a lot of sympathy, it’s the person charged with a crime. The Pawlenty administration tried to tax “fee” (yes, in this state it should be a verb) those who use the system $50 to $200 a few years ago. But the Constitution doesn’t grant rights to people only if they pay for it.
Ms. Kloster will be Kerri Miller’s guest on Midmorning tomorrow, so over the next 24 hours, we’ll be able to give the issue a good going over.
In the meantime, talk among yourselves.
