Bad sign for the New York Times?

The "Letter From Washington" has long been a staple of the Monday New York Times. It's usually a step back for a little perspective -- or perhaps even just a bit of lighthearted observation -- on a big issue facing the capital, written by one of the paper's correspondents. This week, though, it's a reprint of a nationally distributed column from Bloomberg News, one that can be found in papers and websites around the world. It's unusual the Times would use wire copy for a standing feature, or so it seems to me. I hope this isn't a sign that layoffs and financial problems are starting to take a real toll on the journalism the paper delivers.