Commenters get some love
Thursday, Feb 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Shaw Local’s Scott Holland uses Tuesday’s “It’s just a bill” post to praise Capitol Fax commenters…
Often I learn as much from the commenters as I do the original post owing to the breadth of experience among active readers, both in personal and professional lives as well as an understanding of how things actually happen throughout Illinois.
For example, Tuesday’s post led with a snippet from WBEZ on House Bill 2466, an amendment to the Higher Education Student Assistance Act that would restore the ability of people in prison to apply for financial aid to enroll in college classes while incarcerated. Isabel Miller noted the House passed the language 69-61 last year, but it stalled in the Senate.
Commenters discussed whether expanding inmate education would be a political wedge issue, at a time when MAP grant demand exceeds supply, and questioned the extent to which prisons can offer career and technical education.
Then there was a WCIA item on House Bill 3208, a School Code amendment requiring school boards to invite state and federal military organizations to recruit at high school campuses at least once each year. Here commenters questioned the necessity of the change, given federal law requires military recruiters to be guaranteed equal access.
“It would be no different than passing a law requiring ADM to be explicitly invited to every school job fair,” one poster noted.
“The U.S. military has approximately $3 billion in its 2025 budget related to recruitment,” wrote another. “And the DOD announced recruitment in 2024 was up 12.5%.”
Always nice to see y’all receive some credit. I tried this blog without commenters many years ago and people complained that it just wasn’t as good.
I’ve often said that this blog actually lives and breathes. Read it and then come back in a bit and there’s always something new, whether it’s a fresh post, or updated news feeds on the right-hand side or more comments. And those comments play a big role.
Thanks.
- Nope. - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:17 am:
As a new commenter may I ask the significance of the red commenters? I’ve got a couple three good guesses but they’re just that. I’d like to be aubergine if requests are taken. Maybe sell custom colors with a donation LSSC? I heat micro transactions are a thing.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:23 am:
“the significance of the red commenters”
Just people who’ve filled out the “URL not required” field before commenting.
– MrJM
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:23 am:
===may I ask the significance of the red commenters? ===
It’s just people who take the time to fill out all three identifier boxes.
- Blitz - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:25 am:
I wish I could remember what specific piece of yours it was that I saw in the SunTimes that made me stop by to visit and see what this place was about approximately 3 years ago, but I know that I haven’t left because of you, Isabel, and the numerous commenters whom I only know by their user names that have been so shockingly informative. And I concur, I’m often leaving a page open so I can refresh and see what more thoughts have been put on it.
- TheInvisibleMan - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:28 am:
Aside from the obvious enjoyment I took from reading that article for selfish reasons…
The article ends with one of the best sentences I’ve ever seen in a shaw-owned paper.
–
No legislation spontaneously lands on the governor’s desk, which makes paying attention to even efforts doomed to initial failure an important part of understanding the governmental process and the political priorities of those we send to Springfield.
–
- low level - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:40 am:
Years ago, the idea of establishing a conference committee to resolve the differences on SB1 - pension reform - originated on this board. It ended the public bickering between Madigan and Cullerton and gave both sides time to come up with a bipartisan resolution
- Amalia - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:42 am:
thanks to Rich…and Isabel…for providing a forum for sharing thoughts and giving an opportunity to try out ideas. glad the comments get noticed by thoughtful folks.
- Quizzical - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:43 am:
I’ve said it before, but someday they are going to kick Rich off the internet for maintaining a fact-centric forum with thoughtful commentators. Thanks for continuing to provide this for people who care about Illinois government.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:43 am:
I’m an old goober who started working in the legislative arena before Rich started Cap. Fax. I can tell you Rich and Cap Fax are an absolutely essential part of the landscape of the Statehouse and lawmaking.
And this is so important with the Statehouse press corps being reduced to a handful of folks.
So, imagine walking into your offices on Budget Address Day or the day after the address and there being no Cap Fax. Not a good way to figure out what the heck is going on under the Statehouse Dome.
So, great job Rich. Now can we please get the “Rat” back up and running?
- Don't Bloc Me In - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:44 am:
It’s true. There’s real synergy at work here.
- sim1 - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:48 am:
Another key part of what makes the comments valuable is that Rich and Isabel moderate them to prevent descent into nonsense and malice as happens with too many other online forums. Thank you.
- ??? - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:51 am:
Give Me A Break - the mere mention of the “Rat” put the taste of that popcorn in my mouth. Those big bags of popcorn from the Rathskellar sustained legislative staff through many late nights during session in the early 90s.
- What's in a name? - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:55 am:
Let me echo sim1’s comment. I think the key is the moderation. Yes, the commenters are generally well informed and reasonably articulate but what keeps them coming back is the decorum of the blog. Thank you.
- ElTacoBandito - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:58 am:
Normally I check comment sections to see how crazy people are and have a little laugh. This site is the opposite.
- Linus - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 11:59 am:
The Shaw mention is just one more (of many) reflections of how this blog long ago became absolutely essential to those of us following Illinois politics and government. Rich, Isabel, their posts and their commenters all provide regular and invaluable insights. Thanks to all and keep up the great work.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 12:18 pm:
In my experience years ago, you could count on veteran legislators telling new members to make sure they check Capital Fax on a regular basis. Or risk uncomfortable surprises.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 12:21 pm:
Come for the info and context, stay for the laughs.
- Give Us Barabbas - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 12:49 pm:
Well, I worked in state government for decades, good times and bad times, and we all read the Fax just to find out what our bosses knew but wouldn’t tell us. The receptionist message that made our boss’s blood run cold were: “Bernie Schoenburg on line one.” Or “Rich Miller is on the line with a question.”
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 12:54 pm:
Schoenberg and Miller, if they are asking you a question, they already know the answer. LOL
- This is ridiculous - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 12:57 pm:
I can’t begin to quantify how much I’ve learned from this site over the decades I’ve been reading it. The commenters here are very knowledgeable and have expertise in a wide variety of areas. Thanks to all of you for repeatedly enlightening me. Special shout-out to Wordslinger who taught me to get to the point in the sharpest way possible.
- Stephanie Kollmann - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 1:10 pm:
==Another key part of what makes the comments valuable is that Rich and Isabel moderate them to prevent descent into nonsense and malice as happens with too many other online forums. Thank you.==
This. Especially the occasional “knock it off” or “give me a break” or “stick to the topic” for stuff that is not necessarily “rule breaking” but uninformative/repetitive/nonsense (and how things actually begin to degenerate)
Proving you don’t have to let trolls, hate, and foolishness take over in order to allow a wide variety of views - but at the cost of a great deal of work
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 1:20 pm:
A great group to be a small part of.
- Nope. - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 1:32 pm:
Thanks for the info. If I’m totally honest, that was not one of my three guesses.
Three Hail Marys and an Our Father cured that.
- Ann Dwyer - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 1:54 pm:
As a journalist, I second Scott Holland’s sentiments. I have always said CapFax has the very best comments section, and that’s due in no small part to the thoughtful moderation that takes place here — something most other publications no longer invest in. The comments are a huge part of why I visit this site several times a day. Keep up the good work!
- JoanP - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 3:19 pm:
I came for Rich and stayed for the commenters. The discussion is always lively, generally informative, rarely obnoxious. There are people I miss, and that says a lot about how we’re like a family here. You guys are the best.
- Rudy’s teeth - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 3:25 pm:
Rich and Isabel’s monitoring comments is necessary so that those of us who use snark once in a while (guilty as charged) have learned not to step over that line and temper our comments accordingly. Choosing one’s words wisely is key.
- Vote Quimby - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 3:37 pm:
The only site I still read the comments section, and thanks to We Are The Millers for moderating it as well as the commenters for educating me on many state topics.
- yinn - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 4:52 pm:
This is the best place to read and leave comments. An oasis. Rich Miller is a fantastic role model of comment moderation, too, as evidenced by the nice groups I run on FB.
- Occasionally Moderated - Thursday, Feb 20, 25 @ 6:20 pm:
Meanwhile… In Opposite Land, the comments here are worth reading.
Well done, Commenters.