Somebody gets it

And that somebody is Timmy, writing at the ASI.

Unlike D'Ancona I think such attempts at control will probably succeed, too, if we again confine ourselves to the nakedly party political blogs. For those who run them are indeed party political animals and will continue to work, as they do now, for the success of their "tribe".

Where I think his ultimate conclusion, that blogs won't be controlled is correct, is with respect to those that lie outside such party limits. For example, Samizdata make no bones about their virulent dislike of Tories, of social authoritarians just as much as economic ones. I've been known to make the same point myself. It's most unlikely that this blog will roll over to have its belly rubbed just because the blue rosettes got into Number 10 either.

For I think there's a fault line that runs through "political blogging" which isn't in fact properly appreciated. There are those who blog for a specific group, for a party, for their tribe. And there are those who blog in support of certain ideas, or ideals. The former group will indeed be liable to capture by the centre ("don't rock the boat old boy, not now we've got back into power again") and the latter will continue to scream for their cherished goals whichever party is in power.

Your humble Devil is, as you may have realised by now and as I have pointed out a number of times before, one of the latter; in other words, one of those who blogs "in support of certain ideas, or ideals".

And whilst certain libertarian bloggers may feel the need to ameliorate their criticism of the government simply because they wear blue rosettes rather than red, this blog's tone will not change. And whilst Jackart may believe that "idealogical purity is for adolescents", I think that he has missed the point that Timmy then makes so eloquently.

In a way, I think that might be one of the ways in which blogging has and will in fact change politics: it used to be that if you had a cause you had to join a party, a coalition, even for that cause to get a hearing. Now all and any causes can get that hearing which rather diminishes the importance of party politics itself.

This is, of course, correct and—whilst blogs have little influence at present—their impact and the communication of ideas that they facilitate will only increase.

Your humble Devil came to libertarianism through blogging, as did this chap (at least partially): there is no reason why others should not do so, and in great numbers.

Whatever the hue of the bastard politicos in power, The Kitchen will continue to lambast them for their follies. Gird up your loins, my fellow travellers: the Devil's in it for the long game, and he's got the best tunes...