Saturday, May 08, 2004

Tomorrow, The Battles Begin!

Ten days ago, a man's fantasy became reality in a form never before seen, Iron Blog, a giant debating battlefield.

The motivation for spending his fortune to create Iron Blog was to encounter new, original thought, which could be called true, artistic creations.

To realize his dream, he started choosing the top bloggers of various schools of thought. And he named his choices the Iron Bloggers, the invincible bloggers of debating skill.

Iron Blogger Democrat is Jay Bullock; Iron Blogger Green is R.G. "Robin" Pratt; Iron Blogger Libertarian is Vinod Valloppillil; and Rosemary Esmay is Iron Blogger Republican.

Iron Blog is the battlefield where the Iron Bloggers await the challenges of master bloggers from all over the blogosphere.

Both the Iron Blogger and the Challenger have twenty-four hours to first tackle the theme topic of the day. Using all their senses, skills and creativity, they're prepared to present intelligent arguements never heard before.

And if ever a challenger wins over the Iron Bloggers, he or she will gain the people's ovation and fame forever.

Every battle, reputations are on the line in the Iron Blog, where supreme debaters pit their skill against each other.

What inspiration will today's challenger bring, and how will the Iron Bloggers fight back?

The Heat Will Be On!


(Written by Michael King of Ramblings' Journal and posted with permission.)

posted by The Chairman  # 5:00 PM

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And So It Begins

If memory serves me right, it has long been a dream of mine to see the best of the blogosphere come together and stand tall in political combat, and now we are at the dawn of that dream becoming reality. Four Iron Bloggers have been chosen, answering the call to represent their parties and ideals against all challengers. Those with open minds have begun to step forward to offer their services as Judges of these brave combatants, and now the stage is being set.

It is time to throw open the doors to those who would aspire to best my Iron Bloggers, but their task will not be an easy one. While there may be bigger names in the blogosphere, I have searched long and hard to find the highest quality of blogging, and have selected those that truly shine as examples of what blogging can be. These Iron Bloggers will soon be known by many for what I have already seen in them - strong writing, provocative commentary and a fearless belief in their ideals.

So step forward and challenge my Iron Bloggers if you dare. Show us if you have what it takes to stand triumphant on the battlefield of thought. Who will be victorious? Who will be humbled?

Whose spleen will vent supreme?

posted by The Chairman  # 7:57 AM

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Friday, May 07, 2004

Introducing Iron Blogger Republican, Rosemary Esmay

If memory serves, the Republican Party has long been known for its outspoken thinkers and no-holds-barred approach to politics. From Rush Limbaugh and Robert Novak to new era Republicans like Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, Republicans have refined the art of entertaining while editorializing. Style is as much an ingredient as substance, and Democrats have often been seen as tame and timid by comparison. In my search for my Iron Blogger Republican, I knew that I had to find a representative that would stand out with bold opinions and a flair for the dramatic. Who better to fill this position than the self-proclaimed Queen of All Evil? This is how she described herself to me:

"I am a thirty-something wife and mother. In my college days, like most kids I was a Democrat. I exemplify the old saying: If in your 20's you aren't a Democrat, you have no heart. If in your 30's you aren't a Republican, you have no brain. Thanks to Bill Clinton, I discovered my brain in my late 20's. I am known in the blogosphere as the Queen of All Evil. I am a proud Republican and I will defend my ideology with all my evil splendor. Beware me. I have been known to verbally smite people for sheer pleasure. That is one of many reasons that I am the Queen of All Evil."

Rosemary Esmay, I call you to the battlefield of blogging to show us just how evil you can be. Your sharp tongue and razor wit will be put to the test in the battles that lie ahead.

posted by The Chairman  # 10:16 PM

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Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Introducing Iron Blogger Libertarian, Vinod Valloppillil

If memory serves me right, it has been argued by many that the founding fathers of this country would be classified as Libertarian in modern day politics. States' rights, the privacy of the individual and the respect of personal choices all form the core ideals of a party that seeks to return the government to its proverbial roots. Some classify Libertarians as Conservatives, others as Liberals, but in truth, a Libertarian is a political creature that is not so easily defined. Such is the case with my choice for Iron Blogger Libertarian.

In contrast to the Churchill adage that the young start out as liberals and become conservatives later, Vinod's political awareness started deeply in Libertarian land and has only recently softened into a softer "Classical Liberalism" - see Am I Libertarian? for an example. Vs. Liberals & Greens, he is more apt to recognize Governance failures than market ones and the Tragic view of human nature rather than the Utopian one. Vs. Social Conservatives, he is more apt to recognize the modern primacy of economics and market participation as the unifying basis of culture rather than religion and convention.

Vinod, you have been summoned to defend the Libertarian principles against all challengers. Your analytical thinking and scientific methods of argument shall be your shield and sword in the battles to come.

posted by The Chairman  # 8:50 AM

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Tuesday, May 04, 2004

Introducing Iron Blogger Green, R.G. Pratt

If memory serves me right, the Green Party has always been a party of iconoclasts and freethinkers, a loosely-knit group of idealists who rarely agree on the same things or candidates, but celebrate this variety as the spice of life and the mark of the individual. Anarchists, peace activists, scientists and civil rights warriors, all can claim a share in what the world of politics calls the Green Party in America. Its most famous candidate ever to run for office was never registered as a Green, and yet he fought for their ideas and ideals. My choice for Iron Blogger Green has this in common with the (in)famous Ralph Nader.

R. G. Pratt is a proudly gay country boy from the foothills of the Adirondacks in Northern New York. He prides himself on having learned to respect all people equally, to question rather than to fervently adhere, and to care deeply for Mother Earth and all of Her creatures. He is a registered independent closely aligned with the Green Party and their principles, a perpetual student, and is a Reverend in the Universal Life Church.

Robin, you have answered the call to stand for the Green Party and question the authority and power of the two party system. Your sharp mind and free thinking will be your only weapons as you do battle with those who seek to strike you from the mantle of Iron Blogger.

posted by The Chairman  # 9:56 PM

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Introducing Iron Blogger Democrat, Jay Bullock

If memory serves... it was the phenomenon of Howard Dean that brought a new energy and vigor to a listless, wandering Democratic base. While he did not capture the nomination of his party, it could be argued that he captured something far more important in the grand scheme of things - their imaginations. His firebrand message inspired an army of supporters and revolutionized the dynamic of fundraising through online means. Only history will be able to judge whether Howard Dean changed the face of politics, but his influence is already felt far and wide. My choice for Iron Blogger Democrat is but one example.

Jay Bullock, known blogosphere-wide as folkbum, is a high school teacher, essayist, and singer-songwriter from Milwaukee. Though politically opinionated for most of his thirty or so years, he was only inspired to activist politics by the erstwhile campaign of Howard Dean, and remains active in Democracy for America. His political and personal writings regularly appear at http://folkbum.blogspot.com, http://www.ospolitics.org, and http://www.dailykos.com.

Jay Bullock, you have been summoned to the battlefield of online debate to stand for your party against all Challengers. Your eloquence and first rate writing will serve the Democrats well in the battles to come.

posted by The Chairman  # 4:20 AM

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