Thread by @TiffanyBond

The wind is really loud here tonight, so I am up thinking.

#mepolitics, world, I would like to apologize.

I had no idea how incredibly bad media coverage had become until I ran for office...maybe it's always been bad.

I was an active participant in this mess. I'm sorry.

For all the people who had real, legitimate, interesting, newsworthy stories that I thought were being whiny that they didn't get covered.

I'm sorry. I should have listened. You were right.

For the people I wrote off as nutty when you told me that the way candidates were covered was a viscious circle; polls were free advertising for those who least needed it.

I shouldn't have rolled my eyes or heralded the press's right to cover, forgetting their responsibility.

For all the times I clicked a headline I knew was a reward for bad behavior while neglecting to also click the meaningful important story, this is my fault.

We should not prioritize bad behavior. It's like only giving your children attention when they are jerks.

To everyone I have criticized for their self-selected news, I understand how you got there. My beating the drum about a range of coverage was not enough.

How can I fault you for opting out when I don't work to fix what's wrong?

This makes it my turn to get the eyerolls, the claims of victimhood, the tin foil hat offers for saying the stuff that got us here.

Our priorities are *screwed up*. We have to fix it in meaningful ways.

This means vote, but also do more.

When you see a media source cover something salacious and counter-productive, do something.

If you see stories of inappropriate behavior in leadership, contact news sources and request two news stories of appropriate behavior for each one on inappropriate behavior.

I've complained about a debate last week. We should all call the media sources that have reported the conflict and demand an equal length story for each of the candidates that did not behave that way...and read them.

When we fail to take steps like this, we reward conflict.

If we know there are qualified candidates not being covered from lack of money, we shouldn't throw more money at it, we should demand a system that rewards quality.

Measurement of campaign by fundraising and salacious earned media is the worst possible way to create government.

Demand coverage of boring.

Get excited about competence.

Even if it's painfully dry, it's better than hurling our country off a toxic partisan corrupt cliff, right?

We have to stop our all cookie media diet.

We need veggies. We need fiber. We need substance.

So I am going to work on veggies.

I am going to point out local coverage I see that is not balanced (if I tried to do all national it would be my whole feed).

If I ask for more of something, take 5 seconds to rt and like. If I say something is a problem, take less than a minute and email/call the media source. We have to use our attention as power.

This won't change unless we make it change.

We made this problem. Let's solve it.

Ps - do this on your feed too. One candidate in rural Maine cannot fix this, but we all can together.

Reward good. Have a cookie now and then, but push forward more good than drama.