Pardon the cartoon strip [Washington Post, 12/22.12], but it speaks a truth about news reporting and politics. Our cartoonist/commentator, however, misses a variant: Unasked questions. And another: Unavailable politicians. As found elsewhere in this blog, our First Amendment press freedom clause is meant to keep the federal government from stifling – or blocking – criticism of the government and its officials. But, unfortunately, some members of the Fourth Estate fail to exercise that right listed so high in our Bill of Rights. Unfortunate for citizens of this great land. A reader might expect that here would begin a listing of questions and answers that should have been asked (but were not), unanswered questions, and answers that were followed up with more questions. Listing any of those could reveal – or imply or lead to inferences of – partisan bias. The intent is to beg consideration of a basic need in a country such as the United States, which probably is the only country so far extent on the earth that has shown the potential of true greatness as far as governmental structure is concerned. That need is for a free press to do its duty under the system. The questions the press, in all its variations, asks and its persistence in demanding honest answers to those questions sum up the basic stuff of a government dependent upon the consent and the will of the people. Those reporting on what is happening in everyday as well as political life and then disseminating it (along with clearly labeled comment) are surrogates for citizens and all residents alike. Standing in for people who cannot witness in person what is going on is the purpose of the news business, regardless of how that news is delivered. Questions those people cannot ask, and answers they need to hear are the stuff of the news media. Government officials, under the U.S. system of self-government, need to answer those questions fully and truthfully (perhaps delaying only when national security is at stake) if the system is to work and to continue. Clients of the press who vastly outnumber their stand-ins must enforce the efficacy of this system. They do that by using the free market. Buy or refuse to buy the product, just as they make or break entrepreneurs. Readers, listeners, viewers should demand good questions, full answers and exposure of question-evaders by stopping subscriptions, turning knobs, flipping channels, closing Websites, cancelling apps. Conversely, good work by good news sources should be rewarded by usage and by buying products and services of advertisers.