I should have laid down some ground rules about commenting before I ever posted anything about politics. I enthusiastically welcome comments, especially comments that inspire debate and discussion. Here are some guidelines for effective commenting:1. I reserve the right to delete any or all comments as I see fit. It's my blog, you see.
2. Anonymous comments generally aren't a high priority. If you'd like to be taken seriously, one way to do that is to take personal responsibility for your comments by at least leaving your online alias.
3. Comments should be on topic. If my post is about the media's treatment of Hillary Clinton, for example, it's hard for me to see how John Kerry's military service in Vietnam is germane (except that it supports my argument that any Democratic front-runner will always be subject to vicious and dishonest attacks from the right).
4. Comments should show some signs of original thought and critical thinking. Pasted-in talking points should be forwarded to Fox News or the Sean Hannity Show.
5. Smears will typically be deleted. Why would I allow someone to use my blog as a forum for that sort of thing? Get your own blog and post it there. It's free!
6. Claims should be supported with -- or supportable by -- evidence. Call me a member of the "Factinista," if you like. It's a hallmark of good argumentation. Using logic is always a good idea, too.
7. I like to respond to every comment that comes in, if I can. With that in mind, if your comment has one error, I'll probably respond to it. I don't have time to respond to a post that is little more than a morass of errors and propaganda.
8. For all other questions, refer to Rule #1.
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