by Paul Jacob

Some people assume that everyone else's ideas are up for sale. Not their own, of course. Just their opponents'.

This became clear in a ludicrous report in the St. Petersburg Times, entitled "Corporate spin can come in disguise." According to journalist Bill Adair, "big corporations have devised a form of idea laundering, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to seemingly independent groups that act as spokemen under disguise."

I like that phrase "idea laundering," though the argumentative point is downright silly.

Adair questions the integrity of transportation specialist and policy whiz John Semmens, for instance, when Semmens wrote in defense of Wal-Mart. Adair made special note that Semmens's readers "were not told that his think tank had received more than $300,000 from the Walton Family Foundation, run by the heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton."

He has a long list of offenders, and I suppose I could be included, too. But, honestly, I have no idea how much (or little) most of the businesses I write about have or have not given to the organizations I've worked with.

Look, Mr. Adair, some of us defend some businesses for the same reason I've defended accused innocents and homeowners: to support individal rights.

Am I supposed to mention every individual donor to Americans for Limited Government every time I favor individual rights?

Of course not -- but to each and every one of you, many thanks!

Paul Jacob's "Common Sense" is published by Americans for Limited Government. Their website can be visited at www.limitedgov.org.