“Not” is such an important word. Consider the following sentence without the word “not”:
“Officer, I have [not] been drinking.”
We can all see the importance of “not.” That is why it is particularly unnerving that the Springfield News-Leader removed “not” in a key sentence in a recent op-ed that I penned.
Here is the passage:
Jonathan Shorman’s piece in the News-Leader reported that the Show-Me Institute requested funds to conduct research on these pension systems, “but has already determined the conclusions it plans to reach.” But that is [not] the case.
As you can see, the word “not” is integral in the meaning of my reply. With it, I’m denying Shorman’s claim; without it, I’m verifying the claim.
I hope the News-Leader’s error was poor editing, not malice. However, this is not the first time I have noticed, shall we say, inattention to detail. In the past year, the newspaper ran my photo with a byline that said I was running for Nixa School Board, which I did in 2006.
Whatever the reason for the mistake, I think it is important that Missourians have a chance to read my op-ed without the News-Leaders edits. You can do so by visiting the Show-Me Institute website.
For more information about problems with Missouri’s teacher pension systems, I suggest you also read “Robbing Peter to Pay Paul’s Defined Benefit Pension” and “Salary Spiking Boosts Pensions, But Cripples Taxpayers.”
