About this project

The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.

That's a quote from Thomas Jefferson, and it's super-relevant to our situation today. Our schools aren't doing enough to create an educated electorate, and most of our journalists are doing a terrible job.

Journalists aren't singularly responsible for the disastrous outcome of the 2024 elections. But if this is the last gasp for liberal democracy – and basic human rights including freedom of speech – in America, they will share the responsibility.

What can we do now? What can I do now?

With this newsletter, I hope to bring you news and commentary that will help you fully grasp the vastly worse conditions we are likely to face in the Trump presidency – and help you respond to them. Trump's regime will become a dictatorship unless a genuine and effective resistance coalesces.

But resisting isn't enough. Liberal democracy and progressive policies need champions, workers, and funders: a cadre of people who want to turn resistance into rebuilding. I'll do what I can to help.

Please share items from this site that strike you as useful. I hope you'll also help me find the useful links. Send your suggestions!

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A little about me: I spent almost 25 years as a journalist, including a stint covering regional and national politics. My primary focus for the 15 latter years of my journalism career was technology and tech policy. After leaving the media business, I taught at the Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. You can find out more about me on my personal website. (Disclosure: I have donated to the Harris-Walz campaign.)

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Again, I need your help. Please subscribe, and share the coverage we share with you.

This site is free. Several subscribers have asked me to set up a tip jar, however, and I'm leaning toward doing that.

Why I am using Ghost for this newsletter

1. It works for me, and for a number of excellent newletter writers. The basic software is open-source, with a paid hosting component (much like WordPress).
2. Ghost isn't Substack. (Here is why that's important.)
3. Ghost is building an ecosystem.

Special thanks to Ryan Singel of Outpost, a publishing cooperative for Ghost users, for his help in getting this together.

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