The H-L PolWatcher’s blog has a post up about the impending departure of blogger Mark Nickolas of the Bluegrass Report from Kentucky. Here are my reflections on Mark’s work and the importance of BGR for the state and its progressives. I wish Mark the best, and I’m really glad he’s decided to keep BGR up and running.
* * * * *
The memory of how I first heard about Mark Nickolas and the BluegrassReport.org is a little fuzzy to me these days. All I know for certain is that it was sometime in 2005 and that I was immediately hooked.
BGR revolutionized the way I interacted with Kentucky politics. I had always been a political animal, and before BGR the highlight of my week (in a political sense) was Al Smith and his revolving crew of regulars at Comment on Kentucky and the various Sunday political columns, especially anything by Al Cross.
But, with BGR, the news cycle of Kentucky politics went into overdrive for me.
Before BGR, I felt like my relationship with Kentucky politics — which I formed through the mainstream media — made me something of a casual observer, not the active participant I wanted to be.
In other words, as things worked then, by the time I heard about it, even if it outraged me, it was probably too late for me to act on that. Even though I was never technically or formally excluded from the democratic process, the learning curve and obstacles to information that remained in my way as a private citizen to be as engaged as I wanted to be were substantial.
Then BGR appeared on the scene and in it I had a new tool and outlet, and in Mark Nickolas I had someone to help me interpret what was going on and fill me in on the issues and circumstances that I — as a liberal and progressive Democrat — should be aware of. One of the best examples of this at work, I think, was Mark’s de facto watchdog role with the state Democratic party organization.
Now, not only was I seeing the action unfold in pretty much real time through BGR, I was also able to influence these events in real time through a collective activism with other participants at the blog. We’ll never get that sort of constructive interaction with the mainstream media blogs.
Today, Kentucky has an extremely healthy and active lefty blogosphere, and that’s been made possible by the example and work of Mark Nickolas. He made the mainstream media see and take seriously the possibilities of blogs.
Kentucky still needs BGR. Only a full-time blogger can do what Mark does and build what he’s built. Mark has been very much at the center of making the news that has changed Kentucky for the better in the last two years, and there’s no-one in Kentucky who’s equipped at the moment to fill his shoes.
I’m extremely glad that Mark is sticking around the Kentucky blogosphere even though he’s moving to Montana.
We will need his help to defeat Senator Mitch McConnell, that’s for sure.
(Note: To visit the homepage of this site, click here).
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on Thursday, May 24th, 2007 at 6:33 pm and is filed under Mark Nickolas.
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May 24th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Though I often haven’t held the same opinions on politics as Nichols, his site was definitely a valuable resource and centralized location as a “jumping off point” for finding information about politics in Kentucky. With local papers, it’s often hard to get coverage on issues other than the big newsmakers, and I really value BGR on keeping a watchful eye on the minutia of our state government. Lord knows that stupid billtracker on ky.gov isn’t exactly the easiest thing to navigate!
May 24th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Gah. Spell check. Spell check. I always spell “Nickolas” the wrong way.
September 24th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Who was on Gov. Fletchers hit list?
Where is the list of people who contributed to his defense fund? Why again are we waiting for Nov 7?
What is his relationship to all these private contractors? especially Audubon?
Who are these democrats Fletcher keeps talking about are behind him even if his base is not? Why would they? Who are all these state employees who have contributed to his campaign? Were they promoted? or someone they know? Were they democrats? Was folks from his own party slapped in the face so that he could appease these democrat friends? Just what has these democrat friends received?
What was the point of taking State workers five percent raises only to hire private contractors? And how does one laugh about reducing state jobs when all you did was turn around and give them to private contractors?
And you wonder why the base is through with him? And when the Republican base is through with you your done!