SCOTT SHACKFORD: Sen. Durbin Wants to Decide Who a Journalist Is. That’s Easy. Everybody Is a Journalist. “In my experience, though, Durbin’s misguided idea of journalism as an industry rather than an action isn’t confined to politicians. Sometimes it’s even perpetuated within the field. More than once in my time at a newspaper I’ve heard people say something to the effect of, ‘The media is the only industry that has protections written into the Bill of Rights.’ That’s like saying that speechwriters get special recognition from the First Amendment.”

Plus, from the comments: “Crony capitalists think in terms of institutions made up of insiders. Is this surprising to anyone? When you hear Durbin or others of his kind talking about ‘the press,’ they are of course talking about the anointed, card-carrying clique of insiders, and about extending privileges and benefits (in this case, those of the First Amendment) to just them. This episode is an illustration of crony capitalism in action. Know your enemy.”