It is one of the few places you can really say what you mean and really exercise your freedom of speech, after all I will probably never meet a tenth of the people who read this 'blog and only gauge responses by the meagre comments or by the odd angry tweet.
Sometimes a riposte in another local Bloggers site will crop up. Some constructive, which is great, and others not. (I'll come to that tomorrow!)
The problem with politics is that it is a highly mobile situation and fluidic, constantly changing and with a Million and one different view points, even within the big three parties. Libdems are constantly at war with each other over points of policy which is of course the beauty of this party, a polyglot of ideas and theories that are all considered rather than dictated by High Command or by the Unions.
The Blogosphere is very helpful in this expression of ideas but has one major drawback.
To the non-political or casual reader it is a virtual barrage of comments and criticisms.
There is a certain air of constantly returning fire and raining down shells of wisdom, opinion and (dare I say it?) truth upon other 'blogs.
Like real Artillery each of us comes with different types of ammunition, star shells to expose truth and grey areas for other readers. High explosives of facts and figures to bring opinion about and grapeshot for when we're criticising a broader target such as Council/Government expenditure.
But the real danger is that we become deafened by our own noise.
I try to keep an open mind. I mean I am a Liberal Democrat and that shouldn't be forgotten when you read my pages. Obviously my personal bias will lean that way...
BUT I have criticised Libdems in government before and will probably do so again.
I listen to debate and formulate my own opinion based on my view of the facts. I have defended the Conservatives record over "Boris Island" and yet criticised them over train fares. I have criticised the Conservative led council over cutting Care homes but criticised Labour for politicising the whole affair.
Some other bloggers are deafened by their own guns and seem to be on crusade to completely decimate the other parties (usually the Other party) and that their way is the only way.
The problem is the noise of the guns can scare people away and what starts as a reasoned argument or statement can rapidly become a full blown bombardment.
The problem is, its only other like minded people who join the fusillade or spotters like myself who are looking for a weakness in the curtain that ever really pay that much attention.
It is a danger if you believe that yours is a popular opinion, or that you alone are the soul voice of reason because x many people have seen your post. You are still but one voice in the dark, often lost in the barrage of all the other guns.
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