Post Date: March 8, 2005
“My students remind me that learning is a partnership,” said Warren, an expert on bankruptcy law and a newcomer to blogging. “By pushing me into blogging, they have exposed me to a whole new set of ideas and new ways to interact over issues. I know more now than I did 24 hours ago!”
The project emerged after weeks of planning by a group of Warren’s research assistants, including Michael Negron, Ryan Spear, and Jason Spitalnick. The students had decided that mainstream media would be too slow to generate debate about the legislation as it moved through the Senate, and they investigated alternatives. Spitalnick sent an e-mail to Josh Marshall, the writer of Talkingpointsmemo, which kicked off the blogging partnership.
Within a matter of hours after posting their blog they began to see results. They received e-mails with personal stories, academic reports and informative comments. The site received 21,000 page views in a single day, according to site administrators. “Not only are we reaching thousands of people a day, but a big portion of those people are active,” said Spitalnick. “They’re willing to pick up the phone and call their senators.”
According to Spitalnick, even if the blog didn’t prevent the Senate from closing debate on the bill, their work has helped raise awareness. Read more on their website, Special Edition Bankruptcy Blog.