For more than a decade now, Jonathans Cohn and Chait have been furnishing readers of The New Republic with reporting, policy analysis, quips, and all manner of punditry. What was missing? We'll tell you what: personal advice. What good is it for you to learn how to fix the hole in the American health care system if you can't fix the hole in your relationship? So now we're becoming a full-service operation by taking our work to its natural progression: an advice column.
The catch with Dear Jons is that, rather than a single, purportedly-omniscient columnist dispensing advice, we both plan to weigh in on our readers' tribulations and queries. The advice may differ. Readers of our work may notice that the two of us have different levels of tolerance for conflict. Cohn lives his life by the old adage that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Chait believes that you kill more flies by smashing them than with either honey or vinegar. And so a healthy range of perspectives will be put at your disposal.
All we need is for you, the readers, to write in. Ask us anything: handling work or friendships, dealing with a difficult landlord, how to get universal health care through the Senate. We promise to preserve your anonymity. (This means you, Rahm.) Send your questions to dearjons@tnr.com.
--Jon & Jon