Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You

A reader e-mailed me the following input on this site,

A negative about a blog is that it creates a record that can be used, good or bad, for the future. And, since it's a "daily," there isn't the time to let it sit for a week to see if a piece is just a "heat of the moment" thought or not. So, I would think you might want to be careful about personal attacks or lines intended to incite (for example, calling a guy Sparky or stuffing the head of the elk). Somehow, I see a difference between those lines (i.e., lines that are just "thrown in" to be funny or controversial) vs. other attacking-but-issue-oriented lines (e.g., the article about the Enlightened author who sat with the Dalai Lama). The "throw ins" are exciting but are a little more O'Reilly than Jefferson.

I agree. This site does create a record than any future political opponent can pick through to find choice nuggets. But I think fully-informed voters do just fine. Rather than blow a lot of smoke at them -- like you see in most campaigns -- I'm going to lay out my thinking in great detail and invite voters to inspect it and elect me if they like it or throw me to the curb if they don't.

The point on tone is important. I want to make the people I represent proud. But I am who I am -- jabs, tweaks and all. I don't mean any offense to anyone. I just like making a point quickly and clearly. Humor is a sharp tool for doing that. And I don't plan on fooling anyone; I'm neither O'Reilly nor Jefferson. I asked, and they're both unavailable; on this site, you get Urquhart.