Both Eugene Volokh of the Volokh Conspiracy and James Rummel of Chicago Boyz (via Instapundit) have weighed in on the Great Lefty Netroot Querulously Outstretched Hands Scandal - yes, the name needs work - and I thought that I’d just combine my commentary on both. First, Eugene was right to note that there’s something a little odd about demanding advertising from an organization just because you’re using them as a resource… oh, did I just type that out?
Silly me; that’s the dirty little secret that the Lefty blogs don’t really want to talk about (although Rummel will, and does). What the Online Left sells to its readership is relevance: at least, at the top levels - which is really the level that matters on that side. When you read them, you’re reading a site that’s connected. You have access… or, at least, you’re reading someone who has access; and that person swears and makes rude statements, so you know that you’re not reading just some pundit. No, you’re reading someone who is a gateway between you, and the people who matter.
