Dear subscribers: It's been just over a month since the first edition of this newsletter went live. I think I'm getting the hang of it, and have lots ideas on how to improve it.
Before I bring you up to date, let me reassure you that I am not asking for money. I will, further down, ask for a favor: Help me get the word out that this newsletter exists, so that (assuming you agree) more people will see it.
Why I'm doing this
I restate my goal with this project in each newsletter, in the following language at the top:
A compendium of the best reporting and commentary surrounding the pivotal 2024 elections in the United States. You won't find horse race coverage here, or the standard "both sides" BS that passes so often for political journalism. What you will find are links, with brief commentary, to work that I believe advances the conversation we should be having about America's – and the world's – future. Remember: Everything is at stake this year.
My method
I spend a lot of time reading, watching, and listening to political coverage – and more. I range widely in my hunt for the best stuff, including all the places you might expect.
I don't want to dwell on the ongoing inadequacy of our most powerful media organizations in this election cycle. Rather, I find and share the good stuff. Some comes from traditional media, some from born-online media, and some from the sources themselves who, in the past, had to persuade a journalist to cover them but now can reach people directly.
My daily media tour also includes places you might not expect given my world view (which I describe at greater length on the website's About page). I wish that part of the hunt was more productive. I keep looking in right-wing media for items that are a) contrary to my world view; and b) created with integrity. There's an infinite supply of the former, but the latter is vanishingly rare these days.
I greatly enjoy pointing to material that fulfills my mission. There's vastly more good work than you would think if you only followed one or two media organizations. I hope my curation saves you time and helps you put the news in context. Also, highlighting the good stuff is way better for my soul than carping, as I have been known to do, about all the garbage out there.
It's a joy, moreover, to tip my hat to the people creating the work I share with you. That's why, at the end of each mini section of the daily letter, you'll see me giving direct kudos to the writers as well as the boost to the organization they represent (unless they are solo acts, of which there are some great ones).
If you've been reading the posts, you can tell that I've been experimenting with the look and feel of the newsletter and the website. Needless to say, both remain works in progress, emphasis on "progress," I hope.
Feedback, and that request
Several readers have had kind words privately and in public. I'm grateful!
Several (I assume former) readers have been harsh. I've given a lot of thought to their critiques, on the principle that I often learn more from people who think I'm wrong than from people who agree with me. I'm pondering how to incorporate their feedback into the newsletter while maintaining what I consider its most important qualities. More to come on that.
I wanted to keep this short, so I'll end here – with a request.
If you like what you're seeing in this newsletter, please forward a copy (or link, as the case may be) to friends, family, and colleagues you think might also find it worthwhile. If this work makes a difference at some point, your help will have been essential.
And please let me know how I can make it better. As my personal cliche goes, my readers know more than I do. They always have, and always will.
