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Founded in January 2009, PubliCola is a blog about Seattle written by journalists who are dedicated to non-partisan, original daily reporting that prioritizes a balanced approach to news. Started by longtime local editor and award-winning reporter Josh Feit, PubliCola is the first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol.

PubliCola was off and running. In June 2009, PubliCola hired another award-winning journalist, super-sourced Seattle city hall reporter Erica C. Barnett.

People were afraid that blogging would change journalism. Instead, we believe journalism can change blogging. Twenty-first century journalism may look and feel different, and yes Erica isn't afraid to get cranky, but we're committed to making sure online news still delivers independent, reliable, even-keeled coverage. And most of all, we're committed to making sure the coverage sparks honest civic debate.

Bringing you cola for the people, PubliCola is named after Publius Valerius PubliCola, the alias for the authors of the Federalist Papers—the original bloggers.

The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Obama's Op-Ed

g20_mapToday is a big day.  Press conference #2 is tonight. (Not to worry, your trusty corrOspondent will do the play-by-play again). 

And the advance work is already beginning on the upcoming G20 Summit in London.

Today, in 30 newspapers worldwide, Obama published an op-ed in an attempt to set the table for the upcoming conference which will likely focus solely on fixing the banking mess. 

It’s clear that Obama is pitching that other countries, facing similiar economic crises, follow similar recovery plans as the United States.  Best line: “I know that America bears our share of responsibility for the mess that we all face. But I also know that we need not choose between a chaotic and unforgiving capitalism and an oppressive government-run economy. That is a false choice that will not serve our people or any people.”


  • Trevor

    By running scared from the very idea of a “government run economy” Obama is touting a plan in which the government invests $6 for every $1 from private industry to buy “toxic assets” well above their actual value. Private industry will get the profits, but government will assume the risk. It will cost $2 trillion. And if it doesn’t work, we will have little chance at having access to that kind of money again to create a green economy that puts people back to work.

    THIS IS A VERY BAD IDEA!!!

  • Trevor

    By running scared from the very idea of a “government run economy” Obama is touting a plan in which the government invests $6 for every $1 from private industry to buy “toxic assets” well above their actual value. Private industry will get the profits, but government will assume the risk. It will cost $2 trillion. And if it doesn’t work, we will have little chance at having access to that kind of money again to create a green economy that puts people back to work.

    THIS IS A VERY BAD IDEA!!!

  • Trevor

    Check this Link on Krugman’s critique of the bailout: “I don’t see a turnaround on what matters to most people… I don’t where recovery comes from at all in terms of starting to become a jobs-creating economy again.”

  • Trevor

    Check this Link on Krugman’s critique of the bailout: “I don’t see a turnaround on what matters to most people… I don’t where recovery comes from at all in terms of starting to become a jobs-creating economy again.”

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Thanks Trevor. The bailout story involves confusing details (math, anyway), and any sources you can recommend to folks is appreciated.

    And Krugman always.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Thanks Trevor. The bailout story involves confusing details (math, anyway), and any sources you can recommend to folks is appreciated.

    And Krugman always.