[Boston-editorial] When is our next webitorial meeting? +proposal on PR's

Sun Apr 17 07:55:08 PDT 2005

Fun!!!  Where's the Dome Cafe?  If it's a beautiful day we could also meet outside somewhere, by the river maybe, drink some wine, eat some cheese & crackers and pretend we are on a "retreat".  I'll bring the wine!  If we are all sophoric (?), we'll nail down policy & mission in a couple of hours.

cheers,
sofia

Matthew Williams <mw21 at mindspring.com> wrote:
That sounds OK to me. A while back we talked about adding something to 
our editorial policy specifying not only what we will hide, but what we 
encourage people to post. This is an opportunity to discuss that 
matter. Like I've said before, New York Indy Media has a good editorial 
statement we might want to draw on for these purposes. I would include 
a link to the statement, but their site seems to be down again. Guess 
they haven't managed to get off that overloaded server yet. -- Matt

On Apr 16, 2005, at 11:46 AM, Pete Stidman wrote:

> Ok so yeah, I think we could have a moratorium on
> these sorts of things for a week, but if somebody
> really wants to propose one, they can ask the
> editorial listserv and give time to let everyone weigh
> in if they want to.
>
> In the webitorial meeting (which I hopefully can be
> at) maybe we should do some visioning on editorial
> policy, so not just what should we edit, but who are
> we and what are we doing here. Then hopefully how we
> edit will be closer to each other after that.
>
> Kind of the beginning of the discussion about a
> mission statement for the website. I know that sounds
> huge, but I don't think we have an easier way to get
> around these problems, and nobody so far has taken up
> the visioning day idea- so who knows when that will
> happen.
>
> -Pete
>
>
> --- Matthew Williams wrote:
>
>> Our next webitorial meeting is Sunday, April 24,
>> 4:00 pm (as if the pm
>> part wasn't obvious), at the Dome Cafe. -- Matt
>>
>> On Apr 16, 2005, at 11:18 AM, Pete Stidman wrote:
>>
>>> Matt asks me below if we really want to not
>> feature
>>> commentary, but I think my answer sorta hinges on
>> when
>>> our first opportunity to work this out will be.
>>>
>>> Anybody know when the meeting is supposed to be?
>>>
>>> Another option to take care of this in the
>> meantime is
>>> to discuss anything posted from an individual who
>>> clearly represents a group before it goes up.
>> Since
>>> it is commentary, there is less urgency, we have
>> time
>>> to discuss it.
>>>
>>> -Pete
>>>
>>>
>>> --- Matthew Williams wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm sorry, Pete. I didn't think this would be
>>>> controversial because
>>>> it's clearly a commentary and I thought we were
>> OK
>>>> with those. The
>>>> controversy was about press releases in the sense
>> of
>>>> groups announcing
>>>> we did X or we're taking position Y in response
>> to
>>>> issue Z. I certainly
>>>> agree we oughn't to be featuring things of the
>>>> latter sort until we
>>>> work this matter out.
>>>>
>>>> I beg to disagree on the matter of quality. While
>>>> it's certainly not
>>>> the best written thing we've ever received, it's
>> OK
>>>> and it's definitely
>>>> better than the MGA press release. I mean, it's
>>>> clear what the author
>>>> is talking about. Still, if you feel that
>> strongly
>>>> about it, you can
>>>> take it down. I'm not particularly attached to
>> this
>>>> one.
>>>>
>>>> So, if we get future commentaries from UFE or any
>>>> other paid staff
>>>> members of other groups, do we really want to not
>>>> feature them until we
>>>> get this thing settled? May be we should just
>> check
>>>> in with each other
>>>> first, since commentaries are often less time
>>>> sensitive then other
>>>> things.
>>>>
>>>> But press releases in the strict sense of the
>> term,
>>>> yes, definitely we
>>>> should hold off on centering them till we come to
>>>> some agreement.
>>>>
>>>> -- Matt
>>>>
>>>> On Apr 15, 2005, at 1:14 AM, Pete Stidman wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Why would you center this in the middle of a
>>>> debate
>>>>> about the last piece, especially considering
>> that
>>>> the
>>>>> piece by this group is the one that started the
>>>> whole
>>>>> debate in the first place? It defies logic
>> Matt,
>>>>> really.
>>>>>
>>>>> To top it all off this article is even worse
>> that
>>>> the
>>>>> MGA piece in quality.
>>>>>
>>>>> I didn't center the MGA piece, that was
>> abundantly
>>>>> clear. I din't defend it, that was also
>>>> abundantly
>>>>> clear.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm really sick of people throwing in stuff they
>>>> know
>>>>> is going to be controversial just to see me get
>>>> pissed
>>>>> off.
>>>>>
>>>>> I feel so frustratedI with this process, I feel
>>>> like
>>>>> quitting.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm going to be proactive here and rip both down
>>>>> before, once again, really shitty press releases
>>>> get
>>>>> posted to national.
>>>>>
>>>>> I think we should ban all press releases from
>> the
>>>>> center column unitl this is resolved atr a
>>>> meeting.
>>>>> can people agree to this to preserve all of our
>>>>> sanity? pretty please?
>>>>>
>>>>> -Pete
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --- Matthew Williams 
>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I featured this, adjusting the little
>>>>>> about-the-author thing at the end
>>>>>> to note that Responsible Wealth is a
>> Boston-based
>>>>>> group. -- Matt
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Apr 14, 2005, at 10:44 AM, Betsy
>>>> Leondar-Wright
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tax Me More
>>>>>>> By Heleny Cook
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This Tax Day, I'm telling Congress to stop
>>>> giving
>>>>>> me tax breaks. I'm
>>>>>>> wealthy. I don't need them, and they're bad
>> for
>>>>>> our country.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As a teacher, I can't look my students in the
>>>> eye
>>>>>> and tell them
>>>>>>> millionaires
>>>>>>> should get tax cuts while schools and
>> libraries
>>>>>> are hit with budget
>>>>>>> cuts.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> As a citizen, I can't face a military family
>> and
>>>>>> tell them they should
>>>>>>> sacrifice while millionaires get tax breaks.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The budgets passed by the House and Senate
>>>> deserve
>>>>>> an F for economics
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> ethics.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's irresponsible to dig our nation deeper
>> into
>>>>>> debt to give tax
>>>>>>> breaks to
>>>>>>> millionaires.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's immoral to cut health care and child care
>>>> to
>>>>>> give tax cuts to
>>>>>>> millionaires.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Our government is not fulfilling the promise
>> of
>>>>>> equal opportunity for
>>>>>>> children, it is undoing it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Households with incomes above $1 million got
>> tax
>>>>>> cuts averaging
>>>>>>> $123,600
>>>>>>> last year. That tax break could cover the pay
>> of
>>>>>> three teachers.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tax cuts for the wealthiest 1 percent will
>> cost
>>>>>> more than $1 trillion
>>>>>>> over
>>>>>>> the next ten years if they are made permanent.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That translates into $300 million a day less
>> for
>>>>>> education and public
>>>>>>> health
>>>>>>> and safety. It means $300 million a day less
>> for
>>>>>> clean water, clean
>>>>>>> air and
>>>>>>> renewable energy, $300 million a day less to
>>>>>> invest in research, job
>>>>>>> training and small business development.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Federal tax revenues have fallen to their
>> lowest
>>>>>> level as a share of
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> economy since the 1950s. Medicare and Medicaid
>>>>>> didn't even exist in the
>>>>>>> 1950s.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We can't build 21st century education and
>>>>>> healthcare on a 1950s tax
>>>>>>> base.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We're becoming a society increasingly divided
>>>>>> between haves and
>>>>>>> have-nots.
>>>>>>> The rich are getting richer, the poor are
>>>> getting
>>>>>> poorer, and the
>>>>>>> middle
>>>>>>> class is one layoff or illness away from
>>>>>> bankruptcy.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The tax system is being reshaped so that a
>>>> growing
>>>>>> share of tax revenue
>>>>>>> comes from workers' paychecks and a shrinking
>>>>>> share comes from wealthy
>>>>>>> investors. Already I pay a larger share of my
>>>>>> teaching income in taxes
>>>>>>> than
>>>>>>> I pay from the income I earn on my inherited
>>>>>> investments. That's wrong.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires
>>>> like
>>>>>> me, we should invest
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> the education and research that are essential
>> to
>>>>>> our nation's progress.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires
>>>> like
>>>>>> me, we should fully
>>>>>>> fund
>>>>>>> Head Start and assure that no one is closed
>> out
>>>> of
>>>>>> college because they
>>>>>>> can't afford to go.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires
>>>> like
>>>>>> me, we should invest
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> affordable housing and health care.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires
>>>> like
>>>>>> me, we should
>>>>>>> strengthen
>>>>>>> Social Security.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires
>>>> like
>>>>>> me, we should invest
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> renewable energy sources so we can reduce our
>>>>>> dependence on oil and
>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>> fossil fuels that damage the environment and
>>>> spark
>>>>>> international
>>>>>>> conflicts.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Public opinion polls show that most Americans
>>>>>> believe it is more
>>>>>>> important
>>>>>>> to have a strong safety net and fund
>> education,
>>>>>> environmental
>>>>>>> protection,
>>>>>>> health care, Social Security and other vital
>>>>>> services than cut taxes. A
>>>>>>> majority says it's more important to reduce
>> the
>>>>>> deficit than to reduce
>>>>>>> taxes. Most Americans believe that
>> upper-income
>>>>>> people pay too little
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> federal taxes, not too much.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's time for Congress to act on these
>>>> priorities.
>>>>>> It's time for
>>>>>>> Congress to
>>>>>>> stop robbing the poor and middle class to give
>>>> to
>>>>>> the rich. It's time
>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>> Congress to support the goal of equal
>>>> opportunity
>>>>>> instead of
>>>>>>> undermining it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> When I paid my taxes this year, I also took
>>>> action
>>>>>> to change
>>>>>>> irresponsible
>>>>>>> tax policies. I'm supporting the Responsible
>> Tax
>>>>>> Pledge sponsored by
>>>>>>> Responsible Wealth, a national network of
>>>>>> businesspeople, investors and
>>>>>>> other affluent Americans concerned about
>> growing
>>>>>> inequality and
>>>>>>> working for
>>>>>>> more widely shared prosperity.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm donating my 2004 tax cut to organizations
>>>>>> fighting for fair,
>>>>>>> adequate
>>>>>>> and responsible taxes. My students deserve no
>>>>>> less.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Heleny Cook is a member of Responsible Wealth
>>>>>>> (www.responsiblewealth.org)
>>>>>>> and a high school English teacher in
>> Washington,
>>>>>> DC. She can be
>>>>>>> reached at
>>>>>>> helenyc at comcast.net.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 628 words
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>>>>> Betsy Leondar-Wright
>>>>>>> Communications Director, United for a Fair
>>>> Economy
>>>>>>> (617) 423-2148 x113
>>>>>>> 29 Winter Street
>>>>>>> Boston, MA 02108
>>>>>>> http://www.FairEconomy.Org
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> United for a Fair Economy is an independent
>>>>>> national organization
>>>>>>> that raises awareness of the damaging
>>>> consequences
>>>>>> of concentrated
>>>>>>> wealth and power.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>> _______________________________________________
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