When President Franklin D. Roosevelt read the newspapers he kept his eye out for what he called “howlers.” They were false or just downright foolish news items that gave him at least a chuckle and sometimes left him howling with laughter. He loved sharing “howlers” with friends.

I thought of FDR when I read an Associated Press report of the recent Iowa Republican convention ("GOP contenders court activists in Iowa"). The AP said:

Generally cast as a moderate, [Gov. Mitt] Romney sounded a theme of social conservatism before delegates at the state convention who are generally more conservative than most Republicans. "The family is the absolute foundation of our culture," Romney said.

OK, so we know what social conservatives believe is "the absolute foundation of our culture."

But the AP, as usual, didn’t provide balance. It failed to tell us what social liberals believe is "the absolute foundation of our culture."

So we’re left to wonder. Is it Hollywood? George Soros’ money? The Constitution of France's Fifth Republic?

Speak up, social liberals.