Welcome to this window on the wonderful world of political reporting. And yes, it is a wonderful world — despite all its flaws and failings; despite all the carping, complaining and concern about it.

It’s a wonderful world because good political reporting is a keystone of democracy. It explains the political process. It tells who wants public office, why they want it — and what they say they’ll do if they get it. It shows what they’ll do to get elected — and who helps them. It helps citizens get the information to choose their elected officials — and to hold them accountable once they’re in office. It gives a voice to those who are left out of our civic and political conversations. It explains how politics — and political choices — affects our everyday lives.

Good political reporting is, quite simply, an essential tool for us to be self-governing. Good political reporting is a tool for transforming our neighborhoods, communities, country into our best visions and expectations of ourselves.

It’s also a wonderful world because political reporting — like politics, journalism in general and the rest of our society — has some exciting new possibilities, thanks to the transformations of technology. True, that technology transformation also has some dangers for good political reporting. But let’s save that warning for another day.

Today’s warning is this: If you come to this site looking for yet another sour, bitter, cynical outpouring of vitriol about politics, political reporting and the press — well, I hope you won’t find it here. Yes, you’ll find outrage, dismay and maybe even sadness when those flaws and failings of political reporting show up, as they surely will. But I’m a press junkie — someone who’s passionate about journalism’s role in a democracy. That means I’m often a critic of the press. But I’m not a press-basher. I’m not among those who want to see the First Amendment repealed or the press destroyed. I’m on the side that wants the press to live — and to live up to its highest values. As I see it, and as I try to teach it, journalism is an act of citizenship.

Here I hope you’ll find an occasional insight into what makes for good political reporting, some suggestions and ideas on how to make political reporting better, maybe even some experimental/innovative tools for political reporting that helps it thrive with technology transformations.

And here are some invitations:

Send some of your ideas, suggestions and questions for discussions here.

If you see examples of GOOD political reporting — coverage that helped you understand an election, candidate or issue; coverage that gave you tools and knowledge to participate in democracy — send’em along. Examples of good political coverage — like these (www.bp2k.org) and examples of tools for democratic engagement — like these (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress) give us something higher to aim for.

If you have some good resources or tips for good political reporting, send those too.

Jack Knight, inspiring editor and co-founder with his brother Jim of the late-lamented Knight newspaper chain, once said a good newspaper should inform its community and “`bestir the people into an awareness of their own condition, provide inspiration for their thoughts and rouse them to pursue their true interests.' And that’s especially true for political reporting.

— Charlotte Grimes