Matt Stoller's On To Something ...

That is exactly what I saw in New Jersey as well. Blogs, far from being fever swamps, are discussing ideas and policy in a way that far surpasses the cynicism of the media cartel. Bloggers and the people who read and comment on them connect politics to our lives, even if there is sometimes vulgarity or a certain rawness to our expressive medium. We're filling a demand for normalcy in politics, for anti-elitist open discussion. And now the new politicians like Lamont who are actually providing real political leadership are like catnip to us, and as a result we're becoming a very powerful megaphone for them. Lamont doesn't have to ask anyone to 'get his message out'. He simply has certain values, and because his values are our values, we're talking about about and supporting him. With no TV in the way.

Which brings me back to a certain sense of, well, freshness in the air. There's something changing, new winds in our political system, and we're all a part of it. It's called hope, idealism, or maybe just plain honor. You see, I blog because while I am a pessimist, I am also an idealist. I believe in the power of ideas, in the healing power of discourse, and in the ability of all of us to work towards our own sense of community and personal responsibility. Ultimately, America is what we make of it, and all of us, by reading this blog, by participating in door-knocks, or even by the simple act of declaring oneself responsible for what one's country does instead of being a passive consumer of other's royal actions, are becoming better citizens.

Good post ... go read.