This post is going to be strictly about our blog itself, sort of like an adult movie plot that revolves around people trying to make an adult movie. (People with lesser morals than I tell me that this is a common plot device in such films.) Our blog was a little light on new posts during the past week or so, for two reasons. First, many of us were in Arizona for a conference last week, and second, I have been having significant computer troubles that finally appear to be fixed. We are back up to full strength this week, and for the foreseeable future.
As Eric has already noted, and which was followed up by a comment on his post, our blog was credited at the conference we were attending as an example of a very good state-based policy blog. I take great pride in that — everyone here does.
Our readers may not realize how hard it can be to write about policy without politics, and ideology without partisanship. Do you know how hard it is not to write about elections during election season? We hope we are succeeding, though. We are committed to doing this for two reasons: First, it’s the law, because we are a tax-exempt organization at the federal, state, and local levels, with the resulting limitations that status imposes. Second — and you may not believe this, but this reason is actually more important — we want to be thought of as serious writers by people on all sides of the political spectrum. It takes only one example — one simple post — where you put partisan beliefs or goals before logical, consistent, researched argument, and a whole group of people are going to write you off forever, and deservedly so.
Don’t think for a second that I don’t have partisan beliefs. I do. But while on the job at the Show-Me Institute, and while posting on this blog, every writer here is going to subordinate those beliefs to the larger effort of arguing for market solutions to Missouri problems. That is how we are going to be relevant and effective in Missouri over the long-term. Plus, I don’t want to get fined or fired — that, too …
So please keep reading, and please post more, and let us know what we can be doing better.
