NYT: Statements of the Obvious

Is it any wonder that the New York Times is barely treading water?

First, the Editorial Staff has been storing up the sour grapes when it comes to Tom Delay, and do not like that fact that the Justice Department decided last week not to bring charges against him.

Second, their reasoning is that this could not possibly be due to actual innocence, but rather the mere legal inconvenience that what he was accused of doing wasn't illegal...yet. This spawned what is surely an early front-runner for 2010 Top Statement of the Obvious:

"But many of Mr. DeLay’s actions remain legal only because lawmakers have chosen not to criminalize them."

Hmmm....Uhhhh...No duh?

By that soaring logic (which apparently still passes for insightful for the NYT's falling readership), any and all actions by American citizens remain legal only because of the good graces of our ruling class overlords.

But don't worry, they are working on that....

[HT: Ramesh Ponnuru]