Why I read themail

I've been reading themail since I started in advocacy in DC in 1996 as an intern at DC Action for Children.   Back then, it was the only thing of its kind.   Today I was reminded of why I still read it.   The DC Watch team (Dorothy Brizill and Gary Imhoff) reports back with responses to what is painted as a "generationalists" debate―young 'uns versus old folks or, put another way, those interested in green, walkable communities deliberately excluding automobiles versus all others.

So what's so important about this particular issue (October 18, 2012) of themail?   This:

This is an ironic payback for the liberals and radicals of the baby boomer generation that in the 1960’s invented the motto, "Don’t trust anyone over thirty."

I'm not taking sides on this latest old vs. new debate.   What I am doing is trying to use what I know from the past, learn what I don't know about the past, and inform policy and practice today and tomorrow.   There's no better example of this than the blog post "Some thoughts about the Health Benefit Exchange Navigator Program" published today.

My final word for today on this: There is plenty of room at the policy table for all perspectives.   Advocates on all sides of an issue should remember this and understand that personal views may change over time.   So what you want 10, 20, 30 years from now may be very different from what you are advocating today.