Not an ideal speech situation?  

Paul Musgrave writes here about what (political) blog readers want. It's pretty much common sense, and of course there's a note of disappointment as he's writing -- Paul craves real policy discussion and high minded debate. I don't disagree, but I will say that even as an echo chamber the blogosphere is useful enough. When I my life have I ever been so informed about events in politics or the world as when I was daily reading two dozen political blogs? That it wasn't part of a utopian citizen-discussion doesn't lessen the value of that information. The real service here has less to do with serious debate than simply providing a new avenue for people to get involved in the political system. And of course on that count political blogging -- distasteful as it might be for some of us -- has been a runaway success.