The Bulwark is more than a political news site.
Dear Bulwark reader,
Perhaps we’ve emailed before. Maybe it was a short note to tell you that I did what you asked: shared your thoughts with an author, fixed something wrong with your account, or, like a few of you, maybe it was a long back and forth about some political matter. (Or Cleveland sports. Or food.)
The thing is: I really look forward to opening up my computer each day to see what emails are waiting for me, even the ones where our readers disagree—believe me there are plenty of these but they are almost always sent in good faith. That hasn’t always been the case over my career, on campaigns, on Capitol Hill, or even at other publications where I worked. It felt like... I don’t know... work?
There’s always been something special about The Bulwark community, and while there are rare exceptions, they’re nothing like the sorts of bile or hate I’ve seen before. I spend a lot of time reading what you write, making sure it gets heard, forwarded or sorted. I’ve even spoken to a number of you on the telephone, too. Not because I’m standing by at some 1-800 number, it’s because I’ve wanted to call, and I’ve almost never regretted it.
Talking with our readers, be they free or paid—I love doing it. It doesn’t feel like a job. Some of you have even come to be like extended family.
Last week, I was in San Francisco for our live event. Afterwards, I was sitting on the edge of the stage chatting with readers and one, Ellen, came over to me with a smile on her face and a molasses sugar cookie in her purse. I had barely eaten, having flown coast to coast that morning, and not only was I starving, but her cookie was delicious. (And it’s in our Thanksgiving Cookbook!)
The Bulwark community is the kind of place where people bring you baked goods when you come and visit. Others have brought thoughtful gifts for me and others, and what can I say other than that this is just one of those kinds of places.
I’m not going to wind you up about the importance of 2024. You know how important it is, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Bulwark+ readers have not only helped us from our early days when our future was uncertain, they’ve stepped up and thanks to their generosity, we’ve been able to expand and hire people like Joe Perticone, Will Saletan, and most recently, A.B. Stoddard.
We don’t grow for the sake of growth. Delivering our ideas and reporting in new formats and on new platforms is a way to ensure these ideas reach the widest possible audience. This supports our mission of trying to help save our democracy. You can help too by upgrading to Bulwark+ today. At $10 a month or $100 a year, it’s an incredible value and you’ll be joining a special community that really cares about our future.
We’d be honored if you joined us FREE for the next 30-days to see if an annual membership is right for you. Cancel before the end of the trial and owe nothing, or stick around and we’ll extend your membership by 12 more months. Cancel anytime.
But if you’re not there yet, that’s okay. Most of our stuff is free, by design, and that’s not changing. Our members are essentially paying to help us make it free for the rest of the world. As a thank-you, they get a little bit of extra content, the ability to comment, and members-only shows.
Paid or not, I love hearing from you all and I hope you’ll continue to read, share, and write to us.
—Jim Swift
Senior Editor