NEWSLETTER
The Insider’s News & Picks
The Anniversary Edition (Oct 15–28)
Housekeeping
Hi there! Welcome to another edition of our semi-regular newsletter. My name is Scott Tarlo and I am the owner and editor-in-chief of this publication. We have added quite a few new people to our publication recently, so I thought I would tell you a bit about who we are, what we do, and why we are here.
History
Politically Speaking was started in 2019 by Christina M. Ward who identified a need for a publication dedicated to politics and social issues. I came on board in 2020 as an editor. Even back then, I could see the potential for this publication! Christina was, and still is, managing a broad array of duties as a freelancer, so her time was somewhat limited. Eventually, we agreed that I would take over the publication, and on Thanksgiving of 2020, I became the second owner and editor-in-chief of the fledgling publication.
When I took over, there were about 1,500 followers and about 3–5 submissions per day. It was a slow pace, giving me the chance to get acquainted with our contributors and learn more about editing on this platform.
Turns out, I was totally clueless.
But thanks to Christina, the patient contributors to the publication, Google, and Casey Botticello (who put together great tools and guides for Medium users), I was able to figure things out and help our writers in their processes of creating great articles.
Where are we now?
Today, we have over 7,200 followers, an average of 5–10 submitted articles (though we have hit 16 submissions in a day), and an average of 30 or so contributors submitting weekly … and in some cases, even daily! I purposely wanted to keep the growth slow to allow a managed evolution of the publication into a top-of-the-line publication that can compete with the best of the publications out there.
We’re getting there!
Oh sure, 7,200 followers are nothing in this day and age of Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. But I am not dismayed. Our readers and contributors are highly engaged in politics! And they are highly engaged in this publication. Some of our writers have been here since the inception of the publication, and even more have been here since that fateful day in the fall of 2020.
I recognize our contributors with every newsletter in the “Gratitude” section. Seriously, without the writers, there would be no publication!
Now, thanks to our editor Katharine Valentino, we now have the ability to see who the top commenters are for a specified time period!
So now, I would like to recognize and thank Peggy Jones, Kerry Landon-Lane, Kathi Connor, Bonnie L Samuel, and ScottCDunn for being our top commenters for October, 2022 and for engaging our community!
This is also a good time to thank our team of dedicated editors, for helping to keep this publication going, for working with our contributors, and for helping to make this pub a success. Their diverse backgrounds contribute to the ongoing development of our writers — and they do a really good job of keeping me honest!!! I’ve had to up my game to keep up with them! So, a hearty THANK YOU to our team of editors: Katharine Valentino, Joel Ombry, and The Wordsmith™🏳️🌈🇺🇸 (aka Alex)!
Why we’re here
It’s pretty simple, actually. Politics is everywhere. You can listen to talking heads all day. You can read the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox, MSNBC — and get the news of the day quickly. These outlets will even tell you what you should think about the issues (gee, thanks!). But can we really digest it all just by reading those, and other, sources?
I don’t think so. Politically Speaking is here to give you a chance to digest the news and conduct your own analysis. You can get feedback on your way of looking at the world. You can get challenged on your assumptions. Or, you can simply “sound off” about whatever political issue is on your mind.
There is one other thing …
People come here for a form of therapy. Our contributors are searching for ways to cope with the world around them, and writing is an effective tool for many of them to do just that. Our readers get a more detailed and nuanced look at the issues, sometimes complete with history lessons! As a result, readers become more informed. Perhaps it’s therapy for readers, too, becoming involved in a community like this where the issues are important and the writing is excellent.
A word about our standards and quality
Over time, I have worked to evolve the quality of this publication to ever-higher standards. My philosophy is this: If you take the time to write and publish on the internet, then the work should be high quality and something you would want your boss to see.
Best foot forward, right?
To that end, our team of editors works to help our contributors present their articles in the best way possible. I know that it can be unnerving to publish work and wonder if it’s clear, error-free, and formatted so it is as easy to read as possible. We view our work as collaborative with the contributors. Some things, like spelling or grammar, are pretty cut and dry. But clarity and conciseness can sometimes evade the best of writers, so we help with that, too.
If you find that an editor has made a suggestion that you don’t agree with, you can simply not opt to take that suggestion. It is never our intention to change the “voice” of your work, let alone significantly change the content of your work. We simply help to polish it!
We’ll give you tips, job aids, articles, and advice that is geared toward helping you improve your work on Medium. We are not perfect! But we try!
Be sure to reference our Submission Guidelines for tips and tools to help your article get published quickly!
What we won’t tolerate
As editors, we serve you. We do it because we love the work, we love helping others, and we love being a part of this community. Yeah, I know. Too much “love,” right? Not really. If we only liked doing it, I doubt we would do it for free as we do!
Yep! Editors are not paid for the work they do. I wish there was a way to compensate editors and pub owners, but Medium hasn’t quite figured that one out. They probably should. After all, editors and pub owners have taken on the responsibility of improving engagement on this platform.
To that end, we do not tolerate negative behavior by contributors or readers. We’re adults, right? Do I really need to list these behaviors? Suffice it to say that bullying, hate speech, racist comments, and a host of other negative behaviors will get you tossed out of the publication. For example, if you disagree with an editor, there is a right way and a wrong way to do that.
Choose the right way.
We exist as a community, and we envision that community to be supportive and strong.
I am very proud of what we are doing here. While other spaces on Medium are coping with issues related to poor quality, we stand here in our little corner of Medium as an example of what this platform can become. When you combine high-quality writing with a community support system, you create a space that is welcoming, informative, and quite readable.
Are you listening, Tony Stubblebine?
Commentary
I have no doubt I will have something to say after the elections are settled!
Gratitude
I publish this list to encourage you, both writers and readers, to explore other writers here. Pick one or two names from the list and read one of their articles. You may find that you want to follow that contributor!
Politically Speaking would like to thank the following people for contributing to our publication:
Christopher Holdroyd, Kevin Putzier, Katharine Valentino, Caren White, Dustin Arand, Kirk Swearingen, Randy Fredlund, Pluralus, Sheldon Clay, David Martin, Lawson Miller, Richard Turcotte, Kristina Segarra, Charles Bastille, Vanessa Gallman, Bill Myers, John Egelkrout, Jerren Gan, Anthony Eichberger, Sourabh Jain, Logan Stone, Peggy Jones, George Atkins, George Dillard, Kenneth L. Warner, John Werth, Evan Charles Wolf, James Ssekamatte, B Kean, Lilith Helstrom, Tom Davis, Jeffrey Harvey, Anurag Paul, Richard Lowenthal, Fay Wylde, The Wordsmith™🏳️🌈🇺🇸, Mary Louisa Cappelli, MFA, JD, PhD, Jarrod Zenjiro Suda, Debbie Walker, Karen Shiebler, Steve Genco, Patrick Metzger, Jeff Marzick, D J B, Bigga Bigga P, Christina M. Ward, Joel Ombry, Kevin King, Nikos Papakonstantinou, Reverend Andy, Allen Huang, Aure's Notes, Michele Ramarini, Darren Richardson, Steven Bretherick, Geronimo Redstone, Christyl Rivers, Phd., Charles Haines, Alex Mell-Taylor, Mark Mahon
The Insider’s Picks
One of the hardest things about doing this is selecting the articles for the picks! Every day, the editorial team sifts through the submissions for those articles that stand out. Ready? Here we go!
MAGA: Making Attorneys Get Attorneys (Christopher Holdroyd) — We’ve got some great humorists here at Politically Speaking, and Chris is definitely one of them. Apparently, he heard that there was a need for more attorneys on the Trump team and decided he could help with the recruitment process. As Chris advertised, “Call Donald J. Trump today to discuss your salary, er… servitude, and legal exposure.”
Republicans Want to Make the Trump Tax Cuts Permanent (Caren White) — It used to be that politicians made promises, then would do the exact opposite when they got elected. It was a little game that the electorate would play with candidates. Now, they are simply telling us exactly what they are going to do, and Caren has pointed this out with every article she writes! But this one stood out, because why on earth would anyone vote for a Republican candidate that thinks the Trump tax cuts are good for America?? Pay attention, people!!!!
Trump Hates Latinos; Why Do So Many Latinos Love Him? (Jeffrey Harvey) — In this stunning piece, Jeffrey takes a look at the fast-growing Latino and Hispanic populations to reveal why they have gravitated toward Trump politics and the Republican Party. I’m as surprised as you are! But, as the author notes, “We … must face some hard truths about our own fundamental misunderstanding of the United States’ fastest-growing demographic; one anchored by a fundamental belief in the American dream.”
Football Head Injuries: What Herschel Walker Doesn’t Want You To Know (Charles Bastille) — I remember when Walker played in the NFL. He was truly a big talent on the football field. But could his desire to be the next senator from Georgia be hampered by brain injuries sustained during his career? Charles may not be a doctor, but boy, does he ever make the case that there is mounting evidence that something is very wrong with Herschel!
Russia’s Drift Into Fascism Is a Wake-Up Call for Americans (B Kean) — Here at PS, we’ve been talking a lot about how America is leaning toward fascism. If you still aren’t sure if this is really the case, you need to read this! Brian calls on his years of experience living and working in Russia to draw the connections between how Russia operates, and what is happening in the U.S. If you aren’t nervous yet … you will be.
Tough on Crime (Katharine Valentino) — Some time ago, I published a newsletter that invited our writers to “follow the money” when it came to figuring out why things were the way they were. Katharine (an editor here at PS) did just that and found the real reasons why Republicans say they are tough on crime. Turns out that they are not as tough on crime as they profess! The numbers are here — check it out!
Make America Christian Again? (Richard Turcotte) — I have often wondered what would happen if Republicans get their way. More recently, I have pondered what the end game of Christian nationals is. What if they got everything they wanted. Then what? Rich tackles this thorny question. While the real answer may be evasive, the impact to America and the world is very real.
Thank you for making Politically Speaking a part of your day, and thank you for reading!
Now go forth…and read!
The Insider, Scott Tarlo
