Blogging: How conservatives can win back power

In today's National Review Online, Patrick Ruffini outlines the importance of strenghening conservative presence on the internet, especially blogs. I think I've been following his suggestions, although to tell you the truth, sometimes I post items for the sheer enjoyment of it, such as my Mississippi series. At other times, I post an item for the simple reason that I view it as a matter of importance. Such as my prior entry. Some stories may seem insignificant at the time, such as Bill Ayers. I first blogged about him in 2006. I'm glad I chose to.

From Ruffini:

Another problem is that conservative bloggers are there to provide you with their opinion. The new pillars of left-wing media are there to provide you with information, such as that on the U.S. attorney firings. Recognizing that page A1 of any newspaper usually trumps the op-ed page in setting the agenda, these outlets have fashioned themselves as dispensers of information — information usually helpful to the Left and its candidates.

This is because TPM, ThinkProgress, and the Huffington Post are all full-time operations employing reporters, whereas conservative blogs usually run the work of amateur or part-time writers. When conservative bloggers are full-time, they are generally commentators and not reporters.

It goes without saying that Republicans’ problems go far beyond their use — or relative non-use — of technology. The netroots and the Obama campaign succeeded primarily because the Internet is a medium tailor-made for insurgents. But now that Republicans are on the outs at all levels of government, they will need the Internet as a tool of opposition. Failure to grab hold of it could signal a long, long winter to come.

The entire article is worth your time.

"Dispense information." That's the ticket.

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