Start by Firing Deborah Howell

The Washington Post has a problem with reality.

While its news gathering operation is pretty good, its editorial outlook, which seems to be in a constant state of apology for having uncovered Watergate, seems to have no recognition of reality or truth

This is a problem, because truth, not balance, should be the goal of a journalistic enterprise.

Case in point, Ombudsman Deborah Howell, who is calling for political affirmative action in the news room:

Are there ways to tackle this? More conservatives in newsrooms and rigorous editing would be two. The first is not easy: Editors hire not on the basis of beliefs but on talent in reporting, photography and editing, and hiring is at a standstill because of the economy. But newspapers have hired more minorities and women, so it can be done.

She is calling for wingnut welfare (affirmative action), and this is wrong for a number of reasons:

• She is implying that women and minorities were only hired because of affirmative action,
• She is calling for the hiring of unqualified conservatives.
• She is asking editors to vet new hires on their politics rather than their professionalism.

I have no clue what Ms. Howell does for a living, but it does not appear to be journalism.