The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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Editorials

March 14, 2008

Our View: House moves on ethics

Thumbs up

A tepid endorsement to the House, which agreed to a compromise solution to what has been a systemwide lack of ethical oversight. Some, including Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, wanted to go farther, but members did manage reform by calling for a six-member Office of Congressional Ethics made up of citizens who aren’t members of Congress.

The key is that those who sit in judgment won’t be members of Congress themselves. While critics complain that “outsiders” don’t have any more ability to judge ethics than legislators, they should represent an independence that previously has been lacking.

For too often, lawmakers chosen to sit in judgment of colleagues have appeared to be more interested in protecting their own and showing exaggerated enthusiasm for attacking those on the other side of the aisle. We hope House leaders Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner, who are charged with choosing the new panelists, will choose truly fair, independent-minded people.

Thumbs down

Stop circumventing smoking ban

To those bar owners trying to find a way around the new state smoking ban.

Several bars in the state have, in recent weeks, been holding so-called “theater nights” that they argue allow their patrons to smoke.

The supposed loophole in last year’s Freedom to Breath Act, focuses on a caveat in the law that allows actors in a play to smoke indoors as part of a production. Bars claim all their customers are “actors” and therefore are legally able to smoke.

Fortunately, the state has taken a hard line, telling bars if they continue to violate the smoking ban, they will be fined.

The smoking ban was overwhelmingly supported by Minnesotans and was approved after years of open, public debate. Bar owners who want to play childish games to violate the will of the public should be penalized.

Thumbs up

Hospital comes clean quickly

To Immanuel-St. Joseph’s Hospital for being upfront and honest with the health care consuming public when it determined one of its employees was stealing a pain medication.

Hospital administration came forward on its own accord to say it had identified a nurse in relation to missing Fentanyl, a powerful narcotic. The hospital notified patients they may have been given a harmless saline solution instead of the pain killer.

This kind of pro-active, above board, open approach enhances the hospital’s credibility. It shows it will consider patient safety first before any concern for its own public image. These kinds of incidents will happen from time to time with 1,000 or more people working in an environment where medications are accessible. It’s to the hospital’s credit it was upfront about the problem. It went a long way to enhancing the hospital’s public image rather than harming it.

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Home-grown educational series

To the series of lectures on environmental topics sponsored by Centenary United Methodist Church.

This week the series featured electrical engineer Chuck Syverson of North Mankato. His talk focused on alternative energy and conservation. Syverson has designed generators that turn wind power and ocean currents into energy.

The lectures not only put a spotlight on timely topics, but they tap local people with expertise. Previously a retired physicist from Elysian was featured, and on April 14 Gustavus Adolphus College professor Jeff Jeremiason will speak about mercury pollution in Minnesota lakes.

The series offers the community valuable information from insightful, well-informed experts who live among us.

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Editorials