Scary Stuff

Sometimes speaking candidly can come across as speaking severely. So I read my quote in a Government Technology story about blogging with a bit of trepidation.

Lakewood, Wash., Councilmember Walter Neary said an elected official risks his career each time he blogs in the true sense of the word.

"The people who read your blog most carefully are your political opponents. If you blog right, you make yourself a bigger target," Neary said. "You go to a lot of trouble to get elected, and then when you open yourself up, it gives people a lot more information they can use to try to unseat you."

What I said is true. Everytime you put something out to the public, you offer up a vulnerability.

HOWEVER that's the nature of politics. The same is true of what you as a council member put in a campaign statement, in a city brochure, in a speech at a council meeting or at a breakfast club.

So ... surely blogging creates more vulnerability. However, it creates more opportunity for success. I've had any number of people thank me for my blog. It creates risk for my career, but it also creates opportunities. That's the other side of blogging not covered in that story.

I do worry prospective bloggers might be scared away by such comments. But you know ... if they are, then they are probably not well served to be bloggers anyway. Part of being an elected official is to try to speak the truth courageously and effectively. If you don't feel called to do that by blogging, then don't.