Announcing BMG Analysts: three six-month appointments for talented progressives willing to make a significant time commitment to our favorite Massachusetts political blog.
Analysts will focus on an issue of importance to the community, make themselves experts, and keep the rest of us informed. Our expectation is one major post per week, plus comments as the spirit moves you. Of course, you’re welcome to do more.
In return, you’ll receive: the glittering, coveted title; the right to affix the handsome, internationally recognized “BMG Analyst” badge to your posts; and, most important, the respect and admiration of your pals here at BMG.
If interested, please send a short bio., a copy of your resume, and the issue, or issues, you’d like to cover to Blue [at] BlueMassGroup.com by 31 August. We’ll announce the winners in early September.
For starters, we are especially interested in writers who want to focus on: one Willard Mitt Romney, and work on the Romney Research Center; health care, and the workings of the new Massachusetts universal coverage program; and matters related to lobbying, campaign finance and the influence of special interests in our elections and government.
Other areas for analysis might include the local political media; our courts and judicial system; the environment and region-wide climate initiatives; the military and military-related work in government, business and academia in Massachusetts; and animal welfare, farming, and food.
If you have other ideas or suggestions, please add them in the comments.
because I would looove to analyze the Republican race for you bluebirds.
There are progressive Republicans, after all. In fact, Teddy Roosevelt, one of the first Progressives, was a Republican.
According to the Wikipedia on Progressivsm in the US
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That makes us progressives. If only there were something we were experts about…
This is an excellent development.
I could do Cambridge politics, specifically the special Senate race and the City Council races but I doubt they have widespread appeal on a statewide blog. Also my biases are likely too well known as to cast doubt on the credibility of my analysis. But if its actually something you could use…
An excellent idea, congratulations!
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May I suggest an affirmative action program, both in terms of writers (seek out non-straight/white/male bloggers), and in terms of issues (seek out those willing to write about issues of concern to non-straight/white/males, e.g. prison reform, immigration, etc.)? I think that would really help bring a new face to BMG.
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Good luck, and congrats on the excellent idea!
Some folks here — no seriously — might be…stop laughing!…too modest to nominate themselves when they should. Can we offer suggestions/encouragements?
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KBusch on national security and stomv for renewable energy spring to mind…
stomv is someone who I’d love to see do this.
Excellent idea, and I’m seconding…thirding?…the nomination of stomv and kbusch.
Any more nominations?
on casino gambling, but perhaps more broadly on gambling/gaming in general in MA. Also Native American tribes.
…sorry, let me ask this question of you. Apparently you allow for users (registered only?) to post. What would be the difference between that and a “BMG analyst”?
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Actually, the “user posts” are some of the most interesting, and that is not meant to denigrate the efforts of you guys at the top.
I would absolutely apply but for the fact that my daughter is nearly three and time-consuming.
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Could I suggest eliminating the media one? If there’s one thing blogs do too much of, in my view, it’s media analysis.
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The rest of the list is great! All of those are public services, especially the healthcare one if you’re thinking locally.
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I want to ask about the process for posting, when posting the items were on the front page at post. I held back in posting since I didn’t think you wanted a direct post but rather a verified post. The material is links to articles, but I still wanted to ask.
Sign up and contribute away đŸ™‚
Kudos. Hopefully there’ll be some truly interesting and investigative stories to come out of this. One of the things that the media really lacks these days are investigative stories, because there’s both such a rush to get stories out and increasingly an interest in things that don’t lend themselves out to, well, research (Paris Hilton’s latest escapades aren’t exactly something one needs to pour over their sources for). Something like this could almost be revolutionary in terms of citizen journalism. I don’t know if I’d have the time, since it’s really time for me to get going on finding a job, but I’d certainly be willing to help people on issues such as the media or glbt rights in Massachusetts.
How about an analyst for development — specifically affordable housing and smart growth?
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This is a topic that touches different parts of the Commonwealth in different ways but is certainly significant to all.
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If you like the idea, I’d be more than happy to fill the role. My background is in journalism and local government (I worked for the Boston City Council for a number of years) and I currently work for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the nation’s largest municipal developer of affordable housing.
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While I’m sadly living in exile in the evil empire to our south (having a talented wife has its drawbacks to go along with all the many plusses), I still maintain many contacts both in Massachusetts’ state and local governments as well with several development executives throughout the Commonwealth.
What about Progressive / MA Culture? Building a progressive movement isn’t all just about policy — it’s about building social networks that fit into a subculture that is distinct from other cultures in different movements.
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It’d be interesting to have somebody comment on arts/culture/happenings in MA that reflect the progressive culture. I remember there was some (small?) interest in a book club. (I was skimming my RSS feed and remembered that Pandagon has a book club, too.)
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But beyond books, it’d be interesting to have somebody comment periodically on other aspects of our culture as well — movies, documentaries, books, music, living liberally, those awesome stand up comedy acts etc. The blogger could make it MA focused — kind of like a progressive Sidekick (not that that’s not progressive…) but with analysis on progressive culture, ideas, philosophy etc., too.
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Eh, just throwing it out there.
I just might apply for that one….though I can get way way too busy at times for my own good. The topic of the courts if it is an orphan, or not, I do keep a close watch on, I admit. But the orphan, life and death issues in the Juvenile Courts and involving DSS are also an area I personally watch quite closely.
I dont know how progressive it all has to be. I think this would at least make a good diary.
What is progressive about soliciting talented writers/analysts to work for free?
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Let me guess–a “living wage” applies only to giant corporations or to the dreary old MSM.
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Asking for a resume and delineating job “expectations,” then offering only sardonic faux prestige in exchange, is utterly insulting and straight-up exploitation.
…insisting on doing things because people will benefit and it’s the right thing to do, even if we don’t get immediate material recompense…
If so, you’d have a point. Otherwise, I think not.
events analyst. In the spirit of state/local conversation
what’s happening in our communities could be a nice thread.
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Maybe a lifestyle type diary would do be good with people weighing in from their areas ad lib.
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