Response to What’s Wrong With the Florida Progressive Blogosphere?
Kenneth Quinnell posted his thoughts on what is wrong with the Florida Progressive blogosphere. I thought of something Litbrit and I have discussed about the lack of a progressive Tampa blog community. I'm pass the point of giving a shit of trying to change the Tampa blogosphere. Litbrit has a more positive outlook.
There are essentially four serious lefty bloggers. Litbrit, Gatordem, Vox Populi and myself. It isn't much of a community. I'm wondering where are the young progressives, journalists, and political science majors? Why aren't these people writing political blogs? Do they feel what they have to say will make no difference? It's a question that should be addressed.
According to David Howowitz, college campuses are full of lefties. The lack of lefty blogs written by teens and early-twentysomethings is prove that isn't the case. How many college students name the head of their school's College Democrats? The USF College Democrats website hasn't been updated in so long that the defunct Tampa Independent Media Center is still linked. I won't even go into why no College Democrats' site should have the neoliberal New Republic linked.
Kenneth brings up a valid point of Florida bloggers writing more about local and state issues. He cites a good reason why.
Lack of knowledge on Florida politics: One of the reasons I think so few of us post regularly on Florida politics is that we know so little about it. Some of this comes from the fact that our media doesn’t cover it in-depth enough for us to feel comfortable talking about Florida politics.
My (friendly) righty opponent Jim Johnson and I often go into wonk speak into each others comments. I often wonder if people have a clue as to what we are talking about. It is essential for a blogger to have an understanding of policy. There is nothing that infuriates me more than a blogger using truthiness over facts in a post. Glenn Reynolds blogging about Iraq having nuclear weapons is a perfect example.
I'm not sure how Florida having their own version of the Koufax awards will make a difference. Litbrit (of Shakespeare's Sister) and I (of the defunct Loaded Mouth) have been nomination for best group. Florida Politics have been nominated. It helps with lefty street credibility. It doesn't make you a superstar unless you win. My fear is it will turn into a vanity prize.
Finally, linking to other progressive blogs. My former Loaded Mouth blog boss Taz pointed out that conservative bloggers do a better job of linking to each other. This in turn boost their traffic. Plus, it's a nice thing to do. A blogger may start reading another lefty after getting traffic from that person.
Labels: college democrats, florida, fpc, glenn reynolds, kenneth quinnell, usf
posted by Michael Hussey @ 9:16 PM
11 Comments
11 Comments:
It is a frustratingly small progressive group here in Tampa (well, the Tampa area, since I'm in St. Pete), and you're right--we do all need to talk to each other more.
I agree that awards don't really mean too much, particularly not when the field of contestants is so bloody narrow to begin with. I mean, how much clout would a "Best Progressive Tampa Blog" trophy mean to any of us, given that there are only four or so?! It's silly.
As for Florida and local politics, much of what is written could be a whole lot more interesting if a few of us adopted the successful model that Melissa has: combine local, state, and copious amounts of national politics with humor, arts, and recurring bits (like her Question of the Day, or Your Moment of Zen, which were themselves inspired by other writers and/or shows). I do Friday Frank, but I'll be the first to admit, I'm one of about ten women in the state who get Mr. Zappa. Which is fine.
I am required to use humor and satire as much as possible--seriously, they will revoke your English birth certificate if you don't. Britain is an ancient culture: we once ruled the world, but now all we've got left, pretty much, is 1) a handful of rich and aging rock musicians and 2) our collective sense of humor.
That, and our delicious national cuisine. (See Point 2, above).
My God(s), the politicians in this area are ripe for a little ridicule, methinks. The scandals flow across Florida like polluted runoff from a phosphate mine--why aren't we capitalizing on a few of those, for entertainment value if little else? Melissa's mix is a smart one because she does that--mixes the serious, the silly, and the outrageous--and manages to find humor.
In goddamned Indiana, too.
We need to relax a little while sharpening our claws. We need to laugh--a whole lot--while revving ourselves up for the most exciting and important election season ever.
Without an engaged and entertained readership, any messages or enlightenment we may wish to impart will land on precious few eyeballs, and that's not what we want, right?
So: we must be funnier. We must be more supportive of one another. We must tackle the serious, heartbreaking issues and manage to wind up our posts about them with a hopeful note, with ways readers can take action, like including links to petitions so readers can channel their anger positively.
As for posting multiple times per day, it's wonderful work if you can get it, but for a writer with three kids, it's damned near impossible. But I hope people find the bits and pieces I do manage are worthwhile. Or, at least, worth a laugh.
But I hope people find the bits and pieces I do manage are worthwhile. Or, at least, worth a laugh.
It is. That's why you're here.
I do the indie rock music stuff. For some reason, there seems to be a lot of thong posts. I may have started something bigger than Friday Cat Blogging.
I'm rendered speechless at the moment. Just wanted to acknowledge that I read this and I'll be back when I'm not due in the commuter lane. I don't have time to read all the links.
Wow, I'm speechless to even be on this list. It could be true: Michael will always have vox. LOL ...
I do lean as hard to the left as the law allows. LOL.
Great response, Litbrit. Truly. I think you're dead-on about having a sense of humor.
My very limited experience with a lot of local lefty blogging is often devoid of a sense of humor. From some reason, to me, it always strikes me a little less than friendly and welcoming. Having a sense of humor, particularly about themselves and their politics, would be a big help I think.
Michael is right about a lack of real coverage by local media -- especially on state issues. To be sure, they provide the who, what, where kind of news... but no real analysis.
And if you're complaining about the lack of liberal political blogs in Tampa, just try finding conservative political blogs in Tampa. Greg Truax does something on Front Page Florida, but it's not quite a blog.
In reality, there are few non-MSM political blogs in the Bay area... Campaign Manager is another liberal political blog - but not nearly as active as those you mention in your post. Part of the reason is that the local activists are too busy with other things to blog or podcast... another reason could be the negative connotation the word "blog" still has.
By this time next year, I can imagine there will be more political blogs...
But the "netroots" on both sides is growing very slowly in the Tampa Bay area.
Actually, Kenneth gets credit for bringing up the local issues. I divid my time between State and national news. If I strickly did local and state news I would get bored quickly. I wished I spent more time covering the U.S. attoneys scandal and I have blogged a shitload about that.
Off the kuff musings here, not that I've intensely researched anything I'm about to say...
A lack of prog-bloggers in a geographic area may be due to a lack of political wonks in said area. I've never thought of Tampa Bay as a hotbed of politics, nor do I know how nuts Floridians are about politics.
More reasonably, and relying partly on my link argument, some more bloggers could be in the area but don't know how to advertise themselves. For the longest time I didn't know how to advertise myself, and even when I learned a thing or two about that and ended up, for a time, becoming the biggest political blogger in RI, I couldn't find a way to convey that within the political community of my state. Nobody in RI knew who I was. (It also didn't help that the local alternative weekly wouldn't even talk to me or mention me; yet when the blog RI Future opened and was run by a member the of RI Young Democrats, it received heavy mentions in the media and the editor there has gone on to make TV appearances -- not that he isn't deserving, but I keep thinking, "I was first, how come nobody is recognizing me?" Go figure). Hell, one of the biggest advertising tools for local bloggers -- Leftyblogs -- twice rejected Loaded Mouth's application to be on the RI blogwire. They finally accepted me when I setup an RSS feed specifically for RI issues -- yet I know of many bloggers indexed by Leftyblogs for their states that hardly ever blog about their state issues, the are simply recognized as being a blogger from that geographic area.
Not that I'm complaining.. Oh, wait a sec, I am. I guess I never stop complaining about the fucked up linking practices of lefty bloggers. You know what we need? Another good "Blame Atrios" thread. I haven't been able to slap his punk ass around in a while.
Here's another theory about the difference between lefty and righty linking practices (this, again, is off the kuff, something I just thought of, and maybe I should shut up): Republicans and conservatives seem to be accepting of anyone who accepts their view of the world -- even if they are "liberals." That dude that does Buzz Machine, Jeff Jarvis, supposedly votes Democrat yet he gets Glenn Reynolds to lick his ass with links. Why? Because Jarvis blogs about issues in their conservative framework.
Democrats and progressives, on the other hand, are elitist and tend to ignore those on their side with whom they have minor disagreements. And this stretches across the whole swath of leftists. When I joined the Green Party in 1999, I was surprised to find that there were two Green Parties competing to be recognized as the national Greens, and they only attempted to unify during Nader's candidacy. What was the grievous between the two Greenies? I dunno, quite honestly -- maybe one side thought the other's sunflower party symbol was too small. Who fucking knows.
Factionalism is even worse when you stretch into the wide world of actual socialists. The head Socialist party in England kicked its American arm, International Socialists Organization (ISO), to the curb after the 2000 because the ISO supported Nader and the head Socialists basically said, "That's too capitalist, you're not REAL socialists!" Goodbye. Not hardcore enough for me. And don't even get me starting on the Maoists and the Spartacus league...
As for the conventional left, we see sectarianism there, too. The Kossacks won't give anyone from the DLC the time of day. For people like Atrios, the litmus test for whether or not you'll be linked seems to be whether or not one is a complete and total Democrat tool. His vindictive personal vendettas get in the way, too. I remember one instance where I made an interesting observation on Loaded Mouth, Upyernoz at Rubber Hose piccked up on it and made a short post linking to my longer piece. Atrios knew it was a good observation, but he then linked to Upyernoz and not me. Why? Just to be a prick. No hits for you, tas!
Hey, anyone remember Kos's removal of a bunch of blogs from his blogroll? That's solidarity for ya! And if you don't agree with exactly what the other Kossacks say and post a diary entry stating such, expect that diary to be buried in .7 seconds. Can't have any minor disagreements amongst the flock, now can we? I remember being berated by Kossacks simply because they disagreed with how I termed things in a diary entry -- that I needed too be more emphatic or something. So, basically, they agreed with my point but because I didn't write about it like it was the end of the fucking world, they would post a comment about such and tell me how stupid I am. Talk about people who need something to fucking do.
So yeah, I wish lefty bloggers luck on getting linked. Speaking of which, I haven't seen any links to my new blog in a while. I think I'm going to start yet another "Why don't lefty's link to each other" thread just to get some traffic.
Dang, that tas. He's smarter n .... ANYTHING. Seriously. Dang Tas, send me your reading list, dude.
LitBrit --- I do have one thing to add to your completely awesome comment: Many times there are problems with no solution. In fact there are entire educational pursuits designed around 'dealing with problems with no solution'. (as I'm sure you know, I'm directing this comment outwards to the audience not AT you ....)
So, sometimes our only choice is to create awareness. My own plight is a fine example. I don't have a ready solution because I am not the perpetrator and have no power to stop them (the man ARE them) but goddamnit I am NOT sitting in the corner anymore giving in to bullying and threats.
And, it is having an effect. More bullying and threats and other great stuff, too. (good things, as well)
What I'm saying is that sometimes our highest goal available may only be to create awareness.
A 'hey everybody, LOOK' kinda thing.
Which is powerful !
You are right. These local politicians have skated by for TOO long without a question. That's exactly what my lost post was about yesterday. Found the bookend to something I saved to blog about from a few months back ....
This same lack of oversight created the heinous assholes I am dealing with today who stalk women and children about and steal, damage vehicles, intimidate and use county and city vehicles to do so.
I can't stop them but I can create an awareness in the vacuum of knowledge/fear.
And it's working.
It's the only thing that has ever worked. Object to wrongdoing and crimes against humanity.
And work towards getting decent people to represent us.
Vox, the people who work and this site either blogged for Taz (myself, Sine.Qua.Non and Zencomix) or Shakes (Litbrit.) It makes a difference blogging for two amazingly talented people. The Stickheads will never understand.
I have Stogie leaving comments all over the place about me. Dude, that is not going to get you back on the blogroll. I get bugged by people around the country asking me to put them on the blogroll. I use the blogroll for bookmarks. I'm happy to promote bloggers. Kenneth Quinnell praised me for promoting local bloggers. To have Stogie up my ass his hysterical. I'm I the Atrios blogroll now.
Tas, Reynolds links Jarvis for the same reason as Ann Althouse and Mickey Kaus. He enjoys when Democrats bash other Democrats. Have you watched Mickey on Bloggingheads.tv? Wow.
Taz, I'm actually with the Kossacks on the DLC. They endorsed the Iraq war for fuck's sake. The New Republic is the official rag for that organization. The Democratic Party does not need more Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh candidates.
I been mentioned by the Tampa alt weekly three times. Been linked on their blog God knows how many times. Creative Loafing reads the blog.
I'm afraid that I can't watch much of the Kaustinator on Bloggingheads.tv because, well.. He's incredibly ugly. That's a face definitely made for radio.
It's funny you should mention that people like Kaus and Jarvis get linked from the right because they are Democrats who insult Democrats, given that my link from Instapundit came from a post wherein I criticized Atrios and the rest of the left's big blogger clique. The comment thread which ensued also ties into this thread: A bunch of Republicans complaining about how Democrats and Lefties can't listen to anybody else besides themselves.
Which brings us to the Kossacks, then people like us, then the DLC. While I disagree with much of what the DLC candidates and rags like the New Republic say, I think the trouble is that these two sides of the left have lots of trouble communicating with each other. And, I mean.. I try talking with these people face to face, and I'm always frustrated by the fact that I have an easier time talking politics with Republicans then I ddo with so called "progressives." I always get that high school cafeteria feeling -- I'm not one of the "cool" kids, so I'm looked upon as some sort of freak. I don't wear the right preppie clothing, I don't have the right kind of jobs, I'm too old to be a student, etc. And then there comes the tricky situation of explaining why I supported, without apology, people like Nader and Carl Sheeler. YEah, talk about an uncomfortable situation.
I still advocate for open communications with anybody, no matter where they stand. (It's certainly not easy.) But the factionalism on the left just drives me up a wall.
Vox: Reading list? Hmmm.. I haven't picked up a book in couple weeks, actually, but that's because I've been on the road. For these comments I haven't read much of everything for background research.. All thoughts here are spoken from experience. If I made an actual blog post out of this, though, I could run into trouble because I have no way of referencing some factoids I've blathered... For example, how do I prove that the UK socialists broke with the ISO? I dunno, I just know that it happened after 2000 because, back then, I still had friends in the ISO.
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