As happens with every good thing, this blog has run its course. We had a great run, the lot of us. Left, right...in between? We tried to bring you insight from every angle in a format that allowed expression of opinion, interplay between reader and writer and a bit of humor. I think we largely succeeded.

We all appreciated those who read our words regardless if you agreed or not. I for one drew immensely differing opinions. The written word, whether written by me or the exquisite Peggy Noonan is an absolute expression of the one who wrote such words, just as the comments were.

I find it refreshing that this medium has as much of an impact as it does. I'm not sure if blogs and public opinion are changing the world, yet one would hope that we have some small effect, whether it be a change in a Senate vote or a change in one single opinion. Politics have changed because we--and I mean you the reader as well as me the commentator--have paid attention and every single news story is a chance for us to comment and call those we elect on the carpet.

I've been writing online for nearly five years and I've posted things that were erroneous. At the very second I was proven wrong, I posted a retraction and let my story stand because that is the way of the citizen journalist. I wish that the pros would do the same. Perhaps with our persuasion they will.

Anyway, thank you for your loyalty and thank you to all the great writers assembled here. Thank you to Kathleen, David and Chris for holding this thing together and turning out a great product. Honestly, being highly skewed to the GOP end, I thought I would be highly edited. No way, my opinions were exactly like I wrote them and I believe every other writer enjoyed that same freedom. That's what made this blog roll along day in and day out.

Mostly though, I wish to thank our readers without whom we would have stopped in December. You were hard-core and read us, commented to us and picked off every single written mistake we've made. That's how it should be. I enjoyed the debate and hope to keep it going elsewhere. We are at a major crossroads in our great nation and debate is exactly what is needed. Personally, I got down and dirty with Manny, Veg and others and enjoyed the perspective you brought even though I couldn't agree any less. Thanks to all the guys and girls out there who took the time to tell me I'm an idiot--until now it was only my beautiful wife who thought that was the case. Please visit my other blog and continue the debate.

Finally, let me say that AOL tried something a bit bold here--a group blog with numerous opinions and numerous takes on daily events. That had not really been done previously and I applaud them for taking the risk and assembling an eclectic mix of bloggers. I was once asked via a commenter why the right-wing was so well represented. That's easy, we're Republicans and any chance of making money was not to be ignored so we wrote every day so we didn't miss out on the paycheck.

Thank you all and I will truly miss you all. Almost a year of my life was spent doing this and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Respectfully.

Scott