I don’t doubt you, Norm. Even with all the wacko posts, my own included, an astounding number of sides are presented and discussed on any issue, not just politics. Also, some pretty darn smart people on given subjects post some pretty insightful things. What a gift!
What many people don’t think about is that all the big names are just regular people. They don’t have any special knowledge. Just a gift for presentation. To be sure, they are smart. But no man is an island.
When I firse began in the Motorspoers section of the biz, I was astounded to find that my ‘competitors’ were reading my stuff. Many of these people were people I had grown up reading and ‘disecting’. And it was humbling. Not that I was the greatest thing in the world, but that’s what you HAVE to do. You have to learn and UNDERSTAND what is going on in your area of ‘expertise’. And whether you are or you aren’t, the readers think you are. They have to or they go read/listen/watch someone they believe is.
I was fortunate to have one of the greats as a mentor. Rick Sieman of Dirt Bike magazine fame (if you are into that sort of thing, then you know of him). And he understood how the system worked inside out. It’s real simple. But few wants to believe they are a hugely contributing part of fame for the big names. If they did, it would take the magic away.