Mighty Righties
EdgyBear likely disagrees with most everything these folks on the Right think, believe, or say. But we respect them, all the same.
These Mighty-Righties are not venom-spewers, hate-screamers, or bloviators on autopilot like the worst on the Right.
They think for themselves, stand on core principles, and engage opposition with ideas, not insults. We appreciate their sincerity and intellectual honesty.
We've listened to each of them. And, if you don't welcome ideas from people who disagree with you, how will you ever learn and grow?
So, if you feel inclined to explore the right-hand side of the fence, here's a handful of conservatives worth paying attention to (even when they're wrong):
- Bruce Fein,
Salon - Glenn Reynolds,
Instapundit - Andrew Sullivan,
The Daily Dish - Jonathan Turley,
Jonathan Turley's Blog - Richard Viguerie,
Conservatives Betrayed
Progressive Lean
Once in a while, somebody will ask, "What are your own favorite progressive blogs?" They usually add, "Uh, besides the EdgyBear Blog, of course."
That's a hard question to answer with a short list. To tell the truth, we like a lot of people's blogs and websites. The Edgy Bears have insatiable curiosity, are voracious readers, and "can't get enough" of learning, growing, and sharing ideas, news, and comments with our fellow progressives (on-line or off-).
Thankfully, there are many fine progressive blogs, and new ones get born every day. So, we can't really answer about "favorites." There are too many. But, we'll name a dozen great blogs that we find ourselves reading most often.
These blogs form (in our opinion) what we'd call, with respect, the MainStream Blogosphere (MSB) for progressives based on their wide popularity, great content, and serious impact. So, here—in alphabetical order—is our list of 12 top bloggers who have a nice Progressive Lean:
- John Amato,
Crooks and Liars - Jerome Armstrong,
My DD - Duncan Black,
Eschaton (Atrios) - Digby,
Hullabaloo - Taegan Goddard,
Political Wire - Jane Hamsher,
Firedoglake - Arianna Huffington,
The Huffington Post - Judd Legum,
Think Progress - Joshuah Micah Marshall,
Talking Points Memo - Jeralyn Merritt,
Talk Left - Markos Moulitsas,
Daily Kos - Robert Scheer,
Truthdig
Muddled Middle
In the Muddled Middle lie folks who are undecided, impartial, or unconcerned. Or, maybe they have a "split issue" mind, like being for the Iraq War—but against other stuff, like: (a) outing CIA spies for political revenge, or (b) leaving a major U.S. city destroyed after a disastrous hurricane, or (c) giving big tax breaks to the rich while running up a growing deficit, savaging social programs, killing the global environment, and fueling a culture of arrogance, greed, and corruption—for example.
Honestly, EdgyBear feels more kinship with passionate Mighty Righties than with the detached objectivity of Muddled Middlers. However, in a political campaign, it's often in the middle—among independents and undecideds—where the critical votes (and the majority of Americans) are found.
Here are some good sources of information from folks who seem consistently to make a good-faith effort to send the facts without a partisan slant:
