Reader support has always been vital to the work I do here. Each year, I hold an annual blog fundraiser in the first part of the year. As I always note, relying on reader support is what allows me to maintain full independence while also providing an important form of accountability. It means the overarching obligation is to maintain credibility with one's readers, and nothing is owed to anyone else. The blog fund-raiser also enables much-needed assistance for the work that is done here, including having a regular research assistant.
Most journalistic enterprises, especially ones online, struggle to find a model for sustaining themselves. Relying on reader support is becoming increasingly common, and I consider that a very healthy development. It means that those reporting, commenting and otherwise working on political matters, but who want to do so outside of a large corporation or DC think tank or advocacy group, can compete on something approaching an equal footing. It also means that one can work full-time on journalism, analysis and activism without any concern for accommodating the interests of corporate employers and advertisers, and without having to devote time and energy to unproductive work in order to earn a living. In sum, reader support is both crucial and a healthy model for doing this work.
From the start of my working on political issues, readership involvement in general has been central to the work I've been able to do. Having an engaged, vibrant readership has provided important value to everything that is done here: it adds substantially to my knowledge base, checks flaws and errors, and amplifies the work and strengthens its ability to have an impact in numerous ways. I realize that not everyone is able to participate in this fund-raiser -- it is entirely optional, for those who can and choose to donate -- but I do truly appreciate all forms of reader involvement here.
The most efficient means of donating is Paypal, for which a button is provided below. There are very few alternatives to that service, but for those who want one, Google Checkout can also be used (for those who have or register for a Google account) by going here (select the amount to be donated from the pull-down menu and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Google button), or, but if you prefer to send a check, please email me (GGreenwald@salon.com) for the necessary information. Those who wish instead to support Salon generally -- and they've always been very supportive of the work I do here -- can subscribe to a premium membership here.
Thanks very much to everyone who has participated in the prior years' fundraisers and who otherwise contributes here. It's both deeply gratifying and appreciated.
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