I've never been good at journals. Every writing teacher I've ever had, every book on writing I've ever read insisted that journaling daily was a "must" for writers.

Thing is, without the protection of a story, either fiction or nonfiction, I'm truly not comfortable writing about what I think. Guess it's a generational thing--or an academic thing. Without credentials, you can't have an opinion.

Of course, I have all sorts of opinions, and, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde, I'm happy to pass them on because they're never of use to oneself. Yesterday, I received an e-mail from my sister-in-law asking about my opinion on health care reform.

Poor girl ... I gave it to her.

For me, the answer to health care reform is so simple, so obvious that it's dumbfounding that anyone would think other then me or my husband, who constantly preaches at the TV when someone suggests that health care reform proposals are similar to the Final Solution or will create death panels or whatever dire warning the opposition is offering.

Last night, Rachel Maddow replayed her confrontation with a smug Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperty, over their scare tactics and hate language. In the interview, she said that, while he had the right of free speech, she had the right to ask who was paying his salary, especially as Americans for Prosperty. Fair question.

According to Source Watch, a collaborative project of the Center for Media and Democracy to produce a directory of the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda, Americans for Prosperity is a successor to "Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation, an industry-funded think tank" and supported by Koch Industries, whose co-owner sits on the board, as well as Exxon Mobil and other corporations.

It's no secret that as much as 80 percent of a newspaper's stories comes from press releases that promote a product or idea. Nor is it a secret that sources often quoted by the media to "prove" a point are think tanks. There are ultra-conservative think tanks and uber-progressive think tanks and even (gasp!) some autonomous think tanks. Thing is, newspapers rarely if ever identify who backs/funds the think tank or what their agenda might be.

For those of us raised during that time of "objective" and "investigative" journalism, use of think tanks (or in the historic case of Gennifer Flowers and Bill Clinton, tabloid newspapers) as sources of accurate information is horrifying and dishonest. As much as I despise Fox News, and even though I appreciate Rachel and Keith, when I turn on any of these shows I know exactly where they stand and that there will be bias in the reporting. They are all quite honest about it.

With the rise of social media and blogging, people are getting their news and information in all new ways. Anyone can be an expert, anyone can offer an opinion.

So, let's all follow in Rachel's footsteps. The next time someone shares an opinion, disguised as news, or heads a "grassroots" organization or quotes a think tank, or passes on "the truth," make sure you know who these opinion makers and experts are, where the "truth" came from and more importantly, whose money is funding their expertise.