jackiedoherty.org

Back in October, Jackie wrote about feeling baffled that people she respects and admires hold such radically opposite views from hers on important political issues (since I have Libertarians in my family, this really resonated for me). After the vicious political polarization of the last eight years, it seems important to try to open up some lines of communication with friends and family members or even strangers from across the aisle, thus my idea that each of us Dems should adopt someone with different political viewpoints and keep up a civil dialogue. Such exchanges can only improve the political climate and keep all of us on our toes regarding our biases, opinions or gut reactions. The danger of living in an intellectual echo chamber – you with your Fox news, me with my Daily Show – was pointed out in a recent Globe article (Ideas, Sunday, November 23, 2008) which quoted Harvard Law profesor Cass Sunstein’s opinion that “the Internet can have detrimental influcences on democracy, as people retreat to their virtual bubbles.” To that end, I promise to read the clippings from The Weekly Standard sent along by my Dad and I will challenge him to read the occasional article from The New Yorker. I also try to read The Economist for its more worldly, often right-wing perspective. And, right here in Lowell (no pun intended), I hear there’s a new conservative blog in town, so I will add my welcome to that of fellow bloggers at LeftiniLowell and Richard Howe to right-side-of-lowellwritten by local Republican activist, Cliff Krieger.