By: Matthew Dickinson

Matthew Dickinson — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:57:54 +0000

You are right, Marty, that these blog sites serve more purposes than simply preaching to the choir – in the process of putting together the sermons, lots of useful information is put into play. That’s one of the reasons I go there, in addition to getting a window into the mindset of the various political factions. Nor do I mean to imply that these sermons are a pack of lies – indeed, they are often a useful corrective to what the other side is preaching. I am concerned, however, that the single-mindedness of the views presented on many of these sites does tend to produce an echo chamber effect that increases the level of political polarization in this country. My objective is not to discourage students and other from accessing these sites, but to encourage them to view multiple sites containing different viewpoints.

Or they can simply read my blog!

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:31:16 +0000

Enjoyed this tremendously, Matt. I’ve come to expect a deeper level of insight from your columns, and this is an excellent example. (I hope MM has the same sense of humor, too, if he ever read this.)

In defense of Kos and similar community sites, while the entire site preaches to the choir, many bloggers cross-post there for wider readership. While that’s not remarkable in itself, the number of deep politics experts who manage to ferret out the murkier back story to initiatives led by partisan operatives is quite remarkable — auditors, investigators, forensic accountants, and so on. These details aren’t the daily fare, but they’re referenced often enough that they do make a significant contribution to the national agenda. (Perhaps I ought to cite examples, but there are plenty.)

Comments on: Daily Kos the Prophet Warns of Impending Doom for Democrats

By: Matthew Dickinson

By: Martin