Commentary by TrueDialog.org's Founder, Carl Lindemann

July 5th - Post Launch Blues

I don’t know if all writers share this malady, but I sometimes have a sense of post publication regret after putting out a major work. Think of this as post-partum depression following the birth of a brainchild.

 Part of the root cause is that the “visions and revisions” as T.S. Eliot put it never really come to an end despite the coming and going of deadlines. With certain projects, you want to keep picking and pruning away till exhaustion, not perfection, brings it to an end. All writing, like life itself, is provisional. The only final edition is what’s written in stone. I have an unpublished essay from 15 years ago that I still haul out now and again, revise, and see about pitching to some publication. I will find a good home for it yet.

This sense of incompletion is gnawing at me today after finally launching TrueDialog.org yesterday. What are my regrets?  What have I left out that needs to be addressed, revised, amended or corrected immediately?  

First, putting forth the value of authenticity is, of necessity, a personal challenge. How “authentic” am I?  Does my 85-word bio fully disclose who and what I am, what connections I may have that color (and possibly taint) this project? My blurb does not mention any professional political work whatsoever. On reflection, my one professional adventure in politics should be mentioned.

Last year, I had a 15-week stint working for a group called Texas Parent PAC, a grassroots group that achieved a signature victory for public school support in that state. I earned what seemed like a princely sum - $1,000 a week – for the 70+ hour a week labor of love living on the road between Austin and the Dallas Metroplex. (The particulars are disclosed on the Texas Ethics Commission site.

I say the sum I was paid by Texas Parent PAC (check this profile “Wrath of the Soccer Moms") was princely because I am used to volunteering my time and talent. It isn’t for lack of interest in getting paid - or the need. The sad truth is that the kinds of causes I typically find myself interested in do not draw lavish sums to support. That does not mean that they are not worthy, just that the twisted “values” we have today don’t put a dollar value to them.

Political insiders in Maine would be right to ask about my “campaign” with the state ethics commission to investigate Maine Heritage Policy Center, a “think tank” that promotes itself as a “research and educational organization.” Some say I am a highly skilled and trained political operative who returned from out of state on a mission – sort of a Yankee version of the “Manchurian Candidate.” (see thread on As Maine Goes mentioned below). What can I say about that?

First, I appreciate the sideways compliment about the quality of my volunteer efforts. These have been supported by the great generosity shown by other volunteers investing their time and talents. First and foremost, there’s been a great deal of pro-bono legal work. Without the support of John Branson and others, I would not have been able to take this as far as it has gone. My wife Susan has also pitched in doing thankless tasks like transcribing audio recordings, copyediting and the like. Her understanding has been essential, too. For example, the initial case against MHPC before the Maine Ethics Commission was supposed to come to a head last December 12, but was rescheduled for the 20th. That happens to be our wedding anniversary. We spent it apart as Branson and I brought the compelling case demonstrating MHPC’s overt politicking in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights ballot initiative.

Has it been worth this personal sacrifice?

The Commission was unanimous in its decision that this “research and educational organization” (no different than the Muskie School or Margaret Chase Smith Center, MHPC’s Bill Becker claimed) needed to disclose these political promotions like other groups that campaigned openly. What I disagreed with – and part of why this decision is under appeal – is the Commission’s apparent belief that ordering a self-disclosure was appropriate. MHPC’s testimony throughout has proven to be “factually challenged.” There’s no reason to take MHPC at its word, and plenty of reasons why doing so is mistaken. The report that MHPC filed is proof of that. I have brought a follow-up complaint to the Commission to address this obviously incomplete report. Also, in the course of researching the case, I discovered that the Chair of the Ethics Commission (who also just happens to be MHPC’s Treasurer) failed to disclose her close ties to MHPC before her appointment to the Commission. Bringing that to the Governor and the legislative leadership’s attention is TrueDialog,org’s first major action.

What can I say to those that refuse to believe that these enormous efforts are driven by a principled objection to the “Culture of Spin”? TrueDialog.org is my answer. This is, till now, a completely volunteer, mostly individual enterprise. Now, it is appropriate to bring this principled fight forward in an organization that gathers a broad group of citizens together. As of yesterday’s launch, the only investment in this was what I've mentioned above plus that of the advisory board and a few others willing to consider ways to address these issues. My hope in this project is that many will see the importance of restoring authenticity in public life and support this work however they are able.

Now, what of my post publication regrets? What was put out yesterday at the launch was, of necessity, preliminary. There’s more to come, and most of it will have to come from others. The writer’s regret comes from surrendering control and having faith that the ideas here will be embraced. What part will you play in this developing story?

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