The new year dawning promises to be an exciting one, and, as in years past, we hope that excitement is reflected on this page in the coming months.

The political caldron has been bubbling most of the past year, with Republicans in particular looking forward to 2010 elections. Meanwhile, Democrats on Capitol Hill are more committed than ever to bringing order to the melee that much of last year’s policymaking turned into.

Elections promise plenty of candidates on the local scene, ranging from a rich variety of area men seeking to unseat ever-resilient U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, to a possible fight for the leadership of the McLennan County Republican Party.

This spring, Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy concludes her remarkable tenure as mayor. Her administration has seen a further cementing of the relationship between the city and Baylor University, two successful educational summits, passage of the first bond package in 40 long years and continued focus on downtown growth.

All this means nothing unless citizens sound off about it. After all, opinion is what makes democracy function. It is the fuel of self-government. Without informed opinion, either we drift or we are dragged in directions by those with pull and prominence.

Opinion, too, is a historic function of the American press. The first entrants into the field were journals of opinion. Bias was their reason for being.

Over time. newspapers changed. Balanced treatment of news coverage became a standard. All people have biases, but a reporter’s job is to set that bias aside when telling the story.

On this page, however, bias is what it’s all about: yours, ours and others’. Here are the oft-misunderstood ingredients of the opinion page:

Editorials: The Tribune-Herald reserves this spot on the page to tell readers what the editors think. Editorials in this spot reflect the consensus of the Trib editorial board, denoted by asterisks in the upper left corner of the page. It does not necessarily reflect, however, the opinions of our reporters who objectively cover the stories elsewhere in this paper.

Columns: The Trib presents a wide range of opinion. From conservative voices such as Cal Thomas, Charles Krauthammer, Kathleen Parker and George Will to more liberal writers like Maureen Dowd and Leonard Pitts, we present opinions from across the political spectrum.

We also carry columns by Robinson Media chairman Clifton Robinson, Trib President Gordon Robinson, editor Carlos Sanchez and senior editor Bill Whitaker, each with his own perspective.

Editorial cartoons: Our cartoons don’t always express the editorial board’s opinion. Sometimes we like them because they’re simply funny, even if we don’t agree with their viewpoints. However, they often bolster opinions in an adjoining editorial.

Letters: This section we prefer to turn over to you. It is your forum — on issues, each other and the newspaper. We edit for libel, taste, clarity and length. Not all letters can be used due to a variety of reasons. Overall, though, we have few rules for letters; we prefer to handle questions as they arise. Letters to the editor are a powerful vehicle to get one’s opinion before the community.

One final note on letters: We welcome those that question or support positions and critically dissect issues, but we remain committed to a level of civility on this page. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Guest columns: Sometimes we solicit columns from readers who have expertise in a particular area. Unsolicited guest columns are accepted, too, from people across the community. These are edited for libel, clarity and length.

Ultimately, the reason we share our opinions on this page is for you to share yours.