We're now accepting comments

Go ahead. Throw in your two cents.

Illinois Issues magazine, with the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield, now accepts comments on the Illinois Issues Blog.

Our Statehouse bureau has blogged since spring 2006. After two years, we’re still learning and experimenting with ways the blog can augment Illinois Issues magazine and the Web site — http://illinoisissues.uis.edu.

But we realize that what sets the blog apart is its ability to allow author and reader to interact in real time.

In the book, blog! how the newest media revolution is changing politics, business, and culture, journalists David Kline and Dan Burstein say the intrinsic value of blogs overshadows the overabundance of trivial subjects:

“But within all the noise, among the billions of words and pixels of new content being generated every day, lies a very important and steadily rising voice: the ordinary citizen, on a national and global basis, re-engaging in the lost art of the public conversation.”

Readers can respond to stories, correct mistakes and — most important — add to discussions.

Of course, we observe the right to decline comments that use profanity, that attack readers or writers or that otherwise constitute unsolicited and commercial “spam.”

We encourage thoughtful comments as part of our mission to engage readers in dialogue and enhance the quality of public discourse.

Go ahead. Comment. We’re eager to hear from you.