The good, the bad, and the ugly (whistle sound here)

I'm on a panel next week which is going to explore how bloggers and the Internet are changing politics.

I don't ever prepare for these things since I'm still wrestling with the whole idea in the first place. I can think of a dozen reasons why bloggers are good for democracy.

I can think of a dozen why they're not. Here, for example, is one practice that will make the cut. Rest assured, the practice spans political allegiances. It's silly.

I'm a cynical idealist. I like to think people in politics want what's best for the future of the Republic. That would involve actions that lead to a well-educated public, making informed decisions. The decision, itself, is almost irrelevant as long as it's informed.

That's the idealist part.

The cynical part is that there's too many lazy people playing into the hands of people in politics whose livlihood (or success) depends on lazy people.

And a lack of ethics.

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