“Opinion, whether well or ill founded, is the governing principle of human affairs.”–Alexander Hamilton
The idea is simple: Knowledge is power. The world is getting more complicated with each passing day, and the price for ignorance is rising proportionally. “Whenever the people are well-informed,” said Thomas Jefferson, “they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.”
The only way democracy functions as the best moral choice for society is as a shared burden of responsibility. We always boast of what a privilege it is to live in the Land of the Free, but all too often we forget what our parents taught us: With great privilege comes great responsibility. (Alright, maybe not the most erudite allusion.) If we take that responsibility seriously, I truly believe our best days are ahead of us.
It’s largely a political blog, so you’re probably wondering if I’m liberal or conservative. I’ve been called both. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s intended as a compliment or an insult. I’m a registered Independent, so it’s open to interpretation. Someone once told me my views were too complicated to be labeled. Maybe, but my writing is considerably less complicated. The goal is to explain complex issues in a way that would make Strunk & White proud. Beyond that, you can make your own judgment.
Why “Trading Eights”?
“Trading eights” is a saying used by jazz musicians for alternating improvisation. Imagine the many bloggers on this site like musicians in a jazz band, each taking turns to play eight-bar solos (write posts) with their respective instrument (in their respective area of expertise). We hope the output is both deep and broad, educational and enjoyable. And we hope the future is just a little bit brighter because we said what we said.
Comment Policy
Again, very simple: The No Asshole Rule is in effect. If you can’t disagree without being disagreeable, then go trash somebody else’s blog. I have the power of the “delete” button, and I’m not afraid to use it. That said, I don’t like censorship, so civility is the only law of the land. (Okay, relevance matters too. If I write a post on Hezbollah, don’t leave a comment telling me what you ate for breakfast.)
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