At the risk of stating the obvious, wasn’t it Colin Powell who actually signed off on the Iraq War — the very same war that Obama used his opposition to, as his gimmick to launch his presidential campaign? Is Powell really the one who Obama wants — or needs — to reassure those in doubt? To say: “See, I’m qualified! Collin Powell says that I am.”?
Two years ago today we set out to create a forum of balanced opinion, whose contributors are among the most respected in their fields. We think that we’ve succeeded.
PoliticalMavens.com continues to improve. Since February 16th, 2007, when we hit our 1,000th post, we’ve added quite a few new “fellows”. And more are on the way. We will be increasing our coverage of the arts and may well be adding additional categories. More importantly, after considerable nudging by PM readers, we will shortly be adding a comments section. You will soon be able to interact with our mavens.
We launched on August 22, 2006. Now, less than 6 months later, we’ve reached this milestone. We’re always on the lookout for smart commentators and more are on the way. There will also be some changes.
In an exclusive interview published Saturday night on JewishWorldReview.com, Cal Thomas grills the Secretary of State on her beliefs on the future of “peace” in Israel and the areas won in defensive wars. She comes off as utopian and rather naive. At one point Mr. Thomas asks her in regard to what motivates certain beliefs: “Do you think this or do you know this?” Rice responds: “Well, I think I know it.”
According to Technorati, there are tens of millions of blogs currently being published around the world. We’re told that a new one literally launches every minute. These online journals cover every imaginable topic — and some we’d rather not imagine. So why create PoliticalMavens.com and why do so now?
Though only a few years old, the blogosphere has already accomplished some amazing feats. “Citizen journalists” were instrumental in sending into early retirement a seasoned network news anchor and humiliating news organizations. They’ve rallied and impassioned grassroots America.
They’ve also given a voice to those who otherwise wouldn’t have them.
And that’s not necessarily a good thing.
For all the hype — and let’s not delude ourselves, there’s A LOT of hype — too many blogs are contributing to the coarsening of American discourse. With stiff competition, and most averaging only a few hundred readers — at best — daily, for bloggers on both sides of the political aisle, being shrill and negative seems to have translated into influence and, one suspects, receiving the attention they so crave.
It needn’t be this way.
As a former rabbinical student who spent years studying the Talmud, I know a thing or two about debate. Pursuing Truth and truth is not about zingers or implied accusations. It’s about ideas — right as well as wrong. It’s about informed analysis rather than speculation. And, most importantly, it’s about being passionate.
The goal of PoliticalMavens.com is to serve as a forum of enlightenment in an effort to clarify one’s thinking. Those who have been invited to become PM “fellows” are aboard because of their accomplishments. They deserve to be heard for one reason: Their hard earned experience. Among our contributors are a former governor and a mayor of a major metropolitan city; former ambassadors and a presidential deputy chief of staff, studio heads, Pulitzer and Emmy winners, cultural icons and New York Times best selling authors. You get the idea.
With two prominent political parties in America, there’s a prevailing belief that being bi-partisan is synonymous with being disloyal and weak. Opinion makers continue to preach the need to choose sides — and stick with your choice no matter what. Such is not the thinking man’s way.
