Support your fellow progressives

Now that things, for the most part, have settled down following our recent move, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the importance of supporting the progressive movement. I came to you in March with my first fundraising drive and you were there for me in ways I could never have imagined. This post marks my first appeal since that time several months ago. With that in mind, I would like to take a few moments to share with you my thoughts on the progressive blogosphere, its role and Hughes for America's place in it. Specifically, how this site joins others like it as performing what I consider a tremendous public service. What's more, how I view my obligation to you and how I strive to deliver the best product possible. And finally, how you can help. But first, a much-needed update.

With little fanfare - mostly because we were in the process of moving, Hughes for America turned two. In case you're wondering, the site's exact birthday is August 25. I'm amazed with how far we've come since those early posts. I can honestly say that I was as excited at the 100th visitor as I was the 2,000th visitor and, in only two years, the 500,000th visitor. You were there with me from my first postings to my first links from larger blogs - ranging from Daily Kos to AMERICAblog to Crooks and Liars, among others - to the front pages of such progressive stalwarts as Democratic Underground. Some of you have even written for this site as one of my talented guest contributors. You've always been there for me. Especially when I've come under attack for my beliefs, be they calling the behavior of the religious right into question, speaking out on equal rights for all Americans or questioning the direction the Republican Party is taking our nation. And you were also there in March, when your generosity, to be sure, kept this site afloat.

So it's with no hesitation that I know my charge, and that's to be there for you. To give voice to your concerns, your hopes, your sense that progressive values can save this country. To be your eyes and ears at so many exciting places. To bring you news that you may have missed. To deliver opinions you haven't seen. In short, to be completely of service to you, and no one else. This is why I think blogs - especially the progressive blogosphere - perform such an invaluable service. Not only do progressive blogs like this comment on the news, but we also bring you the news. What's more, we also help shape the news. Think of the stories you've seen broken on progressive blogs. Think of the times you've read something during the day, only to see the mainstream media pick it up at night. Think of the oversight progressive Web sites have brought to the press. Think of how blogs, in such short order, have completely changed the news. Changed the game. Changed how journalists treated their audience, their profession. And that, to me, is perhaps the best reason to support the progressive blogosphere and sites like this. Because we do as good a job of being a check to the media as we do being the media.

Think of what you spend every year for your news. Every day, even. For magazines that rarely give you that "wow" factor. For newspapers owned by conglomerates with a right-wing agenda. For "breaking news" that broke on the progressive blogosphere a week ago. You pay good money for these resources. Why not spend your money supporting those who are giving journalism a new face? Why not make a contribution to the future of news? You pay good money for newspapers, yet many reporters and editors view you with contempt, seeing themselves as the nation's sole arbiters of the conventional wisdom. So why not better spend your money supporting those who hold irresponsible journalists' feet to the fire and often do their jobs better than they do? As a progressive blogger, I feel an obligation to you, my readers, that some journalists don't share. I owe you the truth. I owe you an original voice that can't be bought or sold by any constituency. I owe you a product that shows you how strongly I feel about the topics I cover. Above all else, I care. I care about what I do. I care about the truth. And I care about you. And that is what drives everything I do here. When people visit this site, I want them to leave with the thought that they learned something new, that they read something original, that they came in contact a real person, not a nameless, faceless media monolith.

As you may or may not know, this site, while my passion, isn't my day job. Nor is it for far too many of my fellow progressive bloggers. We don't share the same advantages as do our Republican counterparts. We don't get the cushy think-tank fellowships based on our family name. We don't get book deals handed us based simply on our political affiliation. We don't benefit from a well-funded right-wing safety net. Contrary to the "vast left-wing conspiracy" theories the Bill O'Reillys of the world love to discuss with disdain, the reality is quite the opposite. To be a young progressive is to operate in a field more slanted than you would think. Because not only must we operate in the Republican-dominated world our progressive colleagues face, but we also do so knowing that we must work twice as hard as our Republican peers to make an impact. Don't get me wrong, I want everything I achieve to have come as the result of working hard, working smart and doing both with honesty. But it's important to realize how false the notion of an extremely well-funded progressive movement is - at nearly every level. Your generosity here (and elsewhere) is helping overcome these obstacles.

That, accordingly, is how you know that your donations here will be money well spent. Because it won't be money wasted. I plan on putting it toward the costs of running this site, including ISP fees and hosting services. I plan on putting it toward much-needed equipment upgrades, as the iMac that I use for this blog and my design business is well past its prime and in dire need of replacement. I plan on putting it toward research materials. In other words, I plan on using it to help fuel - and help improve - the service I deliver to you. Think of Hughes for America as part news outlet and part advocacy group. And whether you come for the stories you may have missed, the calls to action, the commentary or the snarkiness, please consider making a donation and supporting a fellow progressive. I promise to never let you down, to always be there for you, because without you, none of this would have been possible. With that, and my gratitude, let's get to work building the progressive movement.

Note: If you have any questions about donating or wish to inquire about very affordable, very competitive freelance writing or award-winning graphic design, please e-mail me.