It Takes One To Know One

Blogging about politics entitiles you to pass yourself off as a political insider about as much as making mac and cheese from a box qualifies you to pass yourself off as a chef. In other words, it doesn't. Just because you take the time to voice your opinion on a blog doesn't mean that you know more than a fifth- grader about the political arena. I'm not saying you shouldn't put your two cents worth on the screen. You should. It's healthy. But if you want to convince me that you're an expert on the subject, a po-li-ti-co, you have to tell me something I don't already know. You have to open my eyes, point me in a new direction, lead me to a place I haven't been before. Whether it will be something I can agree with or something I can't stomach, it doesn't matter, as long as it's the truth and it's something new. Because, my friend, if you write a political blog and all you do is beat the poor ol' dead horse, don't try to pass yourself off as an insider, 'cause you're not. You're just like the rest of us: opinionated with the slightest hint of knowledge.

And on another note: If you're campaigning for Mayor of the City of Knoxville, is it misleading, unethical or simply smarmy to have a logo that reads: Padgett 
 Knoxville City Mayor
                                        

Because, you're not the Knoxville City Mayor. You're running for mayor. Shouldn't you at least be required to include "vote" or "for" somewhere in there?
Where's the Bureau of Ethics or the Fair Political Practice Commission when you need it? Oh yeah, we don't have either of those in this state. Small wonder.