Welcome to Truth and Consequences
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty — that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
One of my favorite essays about the art of writing is “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell.
“Political language,” wrote Orwell, “is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” He bemoaned the ways in which “political speech and writing” had largely become “the defense of the indefensible.”
While much has changed for the better since Orwell wrote those words in 1946, we continue to reside in a political environment defined far too often by unquestioned conventional wisdom, stereotype, and willful dishonesty.
For the past six and a half years, as an opinion columnist for the Boston Globe, I’ve sought to do my small part to speak honestly and forthrightly about American politics: to call racists, “racists,” liars, “liars,” enablers, “enablers” and to be clear about how our politics has too often become defined by stupidity and selfishness. I marshaled evidence and data to make my arguments and despite the maelstrom of Trump-era politics I refused to ignore the glimmers of hope that better days are ahead.
The time has come for me to strike out on my own and take Truth and Consequences, the weekly newsletter I started three years ago at the Boston Globe, and make it my primary vocation.
If you subscribed to Truth and Consequences, followed me on Twitter, or read my columns at the Globe, much of what I will be doing here will look familiar. Two to three columns a week on the latest doings in American politics and public policy along with a healthy dose of snark and commentary on music, movies, and sports thrown into the mix.
What will be different about this iteration of Truth and Consequences is that you will get even more unvarnished and uncompromising analysis along with a unique mix of voices.
I have recruited a group of smart thinkers and writers, with more to come soon. Jeremy Rosner, managing partner at the consulting firm GQR and an expert on political polling in the US and globally, will write a regular feature assessing the latest polls and the twists and turns of public opinion.
Tom Schaller, a professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who more than a decade ago wrote a prescient book on the path to electoral success for Democrats called “Whistling Past Dixie,” will contribute several columns a month.
Rachel Sklar, a writer, entrepreneur and activist, will be contributing commentary and interviews from a mix of political and cultural figures.
This week, Christopher Preble, the director of the New American Engagement Initiative at the Atlantic Council, will write an essay laying out a vision for Joe Biden’s approach to foreign policy and national security.
I will host weekly Q&A sessions with journalists, historians, political observers. Check out this week’s inaugural Q&A with Tom Schaller, on the newsletter now, for his take on the road forward for the Democratic Party.
I’ll also be holding regular Zoom talks with some of the smartest observers of American politics. I’m very excited that this week I will be joined by my former Boston Globe colleague, Kimberly Atkins, to roundup the week in political news.
Finally, one of the true joys of writing Truth and Consequences every week was having a platform to write about music, movies, television and sports - three of my greatest passions. I have recruited a few smart friends to assist in that effort. Ian Zimmerman, the director of development at the Metropolitan Opera will write a weekly feature on music. I will announce other contributors in the days and weeks to come.
But the biggest difference with this version of Truth and Consequences will be you. This newsletter will be written and edited by me but it will rely on the input and ideas that I get from my subscribers.
A paid subscription to Truth and Consequences will give you access to a comment section and open discussion threads with which I can’t wait to engage. If this newsletter is a success it will be not just because you are learning from me but because I am learning from all of you. That’s why I will also hold regular Zoom talks with paid subscribers.
All of this content relies on your financial contributions. Truth and Consequences will begin as a free site. In February most of the content will go behind a paywall, but you will still have access to a few pieces and I will continue to send a free, abridged copy of the newsletter every Thursday. Hopefully you’ll like it enough that you decide to become a paying member.
A paid subscription to Truth and Consequences provides access to a comment section and open discussion threads as well access to all the articles on the site. Above all, the more people sign up the more I can invest in the newsletter to hire more writers, an editor, and create more compelling content.
For those who sign up now, the rate is $7.50 a month or $75 a year. Become a founding member at $200 and you will not only receive my undying gratitude but I will also send you a Truth and Consequences T-shirt!
I hope you decide to come along for the ride!
Welcome to Truth and Consequences
Michael, I very much enjoy your writing and am considering a paid subscription. I wanted to point out, without criticism, that in this article you mentioned that you get to "write about music, movies, television and sports - three of my greatest passions." Lest future readers consider you mathematically challenged, I thought you might want to make an edit to that sentence.
I wish you the best of luck and prosperity in your new endeavor.
I've enjoyed seeing images from Dr. Strangelove at the top of some of your columns. It's one of my favorite films.