Comments are welcome

This blog allows readers to add comments after my posts. But they won't show up until I've approved them.
I'm not allowing free reign because, frankly, I don't want to see the scurrilous, anonymous attacks and potentially libelous slurs that have mucked up too many other internet message boards.
That doesn't mean readers can't criticize me, the newspaper, political leaders or other public figures. It's just that you have to do it with at least a modicum of intelligence and flair.
I won't bother approving comments such as "Zoppo sucks" or "Stortz is a moron" -- two that I've already deleted -- because they add exactly zilch to the community discussion that a democracy demands.
You do not have to use your real name to post comments, but I do encourage that. Words are more powerful when we know who is saying them.
I especially encourage candidates to weigh in to amplify or furter explain whatever I've reported. We all understand that a news story can only contain so much detail. A blog post can say as much as you'd like.