What? We're not one of Google's favorite blogs! How can that be!

Can you believe it?

Google launches its new public policy blog today and the NetCompetition/Precursorblog is not one of the blog links under "What We Are Reading!" Horrors!

First of all, it is not very "authentic" of the Google bloggers to not admit that they regularly read Precursorblog -- we know they do!

• Of course they do.
• It's just one of those guilty pleasures that they do behind closed doors because it is not politically correct at Google to expose one's mind to conservative or free market thoughts.  

Second, don't you believe for a minute that Google does not want to know what their latest public policy or PR vulnerability is.

• Any experienced Washington or PR hand will tell you that it's just smart business to keep up with what "the loyal opposition" is saying.

Third, PrecursorBlog is the best one-stop-shop archive of Google's ongoing public policy problems with antitrust, privacy, fraud and piracy.

• On second thought, I guess that is the reason they don't list NetCompetition/Precursorblog under what they read -- more people might read it and start to connect-the-dots about what Google is really up to. Can't have that can they? 

Bottomline: NetCompetition is all about encouraging a free and open debate about maintaining a free-market Internet, so I am very glad that the chief corporate sponsor for regulating the Internet is now formally part of the debate in the blogosphere.