It seems to me like traffic is low on DU

[senseandsensibility]

I don't see as many responses to posts, even really good ones, as I used to even a few days ago.

This surprises me because recent political developments have been newsworthy and discussion worthy by any standards.

If DUers are taking a break, that's cool. I am on a semi-break myself. But if they are discouraged, I would like to offer this perspective: The R's are screwing up as we knew they would. The Dems are coming through at the recent hearings as a competent opposition party and are making everyone on that signal chat look foolish. Let's encourage them to keep doing so. They are making headway.

I have even noticed a change in corporate media coverage. I was able to watch CNN for an hour this morning, and they were not kind to Republicans. And I am very difficult to appease in this regard, as most of you know!

Don't lose hope, people! And most importantly, if you see something productive and effective from someone on our side, encourage more of the same!

[leftstreet]

1. Maybe people already have Trump Exhaustion

I know I do. Not sure anyone can take 4 years of this "OMG did you see/hear what Trump/Musk/Weirdo GOPer du jour just did?"

[NewHendoLib]

10. This is real. I've got a bad case.

[llmart]

43. That's where I'm at now.

I spent months not even checking in on DU because I value my mental health. I eased back in a little, but still not posting much at all. I also forgo all TV news. Me watching it wouldn't change one thing.

[msfiddlestix]

85. same here, I've foregone ALL TV and Radio News. My contempt for the media is in competition for the level of contempt

I have for the psychopaths they enabled to be empowered these past several years, with a tiny break in between.

[homegirl]

49. Low traffic...

at One America News Network, the real news is not reported and 10 responses is a big deal!!!

MAGA is running out of gas!

[Bmoboy]

2. Signalgate may be making folks more paranoid than "usual."

It's like every spy movie ever.

Our cell phones are Big Brother.

[newdeal2]

7. This is not big brother

This is Trump idiocy.

MAGA dummies did something they weren't supposed to do and they only got caught because they did a second dumb thing by "accidentally" inviting a journalist to their group text.

Now they are doing a third dumb thing by trying to cover it all up and deflect blame.

[Bmoboy]

21. If people in the Intelligence business can be hacked ...

... how about us ignorant civilians?

[newdeal2]

22. If you're referring to the Signal mess

That was not a hack. That was sloppiness on the part of Trump’s team.

[DownriverDem]

30. Except a few days before the Russians

hacked into Signal. They know what was in the chat & trump's envoy on the chat was in Russia then.

[SheltieLover]

3. People might be hiking, gardening etc.

[senseandsensibility]

6. Good for them!

Even though I live where the weather is almost always good, even in the winter, yesterday was over 90 degrees and today it's raining. So not so good for hiking but then again, I am a wimp when it comes to weather!

[SheltieLover]

9. Nice!

It's bn almost 80 here lately. Way too hot for me.

[NewHendoLib]

11. I'm doing that plus enjoying our new grandson!

Joy does not go well with outrage.

[SheltieLover]

14. Good for you, NHL!

Congrats!

Stay in babyland. It's much healthier.

[unc70]

27. Congrats to you and your family

[58Sunliner]

41. It's the beginning of weed season here in the Piedmont. I don't call it gardening.

[senseandsensibility]

82. Piedmont, CA?

Yeah, I agree that weeding doesn't count as gardening. I'm lucky that my hubby does all of that. He has the patience.

[58Sunliner]

86. No, although, I used to live there. I refer to the Piedmont in Virginia.

We have crab grass, bermuda grass, and wild onions.

[SARose]

4. Personally

There are days I closet myself with a book. No internet no news no tv.

This whole mess gets to be too much. Then I come here for just a peek, read some awesome analysis or interesting news tidbit and I’m hooked again! 😂

During Trump’s first term I found myself compulsively checking the news - nope not anymore.

Most days I just don’t care. Let the red hats have what they voted for. But you know what? Jokes on them. These rural folks are gonna hurt wayyyy more than the people they hate.

[sheshe2]

5. Lol...you should join MIRT.

[ProfessorGAC]

50. Good One, Sheshe!

Made me laugh out loud.

[sheshe2]

56. Why, thank you ProfessorGAC!

[bif]

8. It's Spring Break for a lot of schools.

I'm guessing folks are on vacay!

[senseandsensibility]

13. Welcome to DU

and thank you for your perspective. What's happening is that R's will always vote against the Dems no matter what, so that's about 50 percent of the voters. Then the Dems are unhappy because they want their party to fight harder against trump so a significant percentage of them say they are unhappy with Dems. What this doesn't show however is any kind of growth in support for R's.

[mercuryblues]

15. Even 538 dropped

Rasmussen from polling data because of their extreme rightwing polls.

[Wiz Imp]

61. 538 no longer exists

But right up until the plug was pulled, they continued to include Rasmussen polls. They may have dropped those under the Rasmussen name but they continued to include polls from RMG Research which is also Rasmussen.

https://www.rmgresearch.com/

RMG Research, Inc. is a public opinion research firm founded by Scott Rasmussen

[Mr. Evil]

16. Rasmussen?

Really!? Please, you have no chance here by being that obvious of a troll. If any republican were caught in bed with a live boy or a dead girl, Rasmussen would immediately produce a poll showing that republican's popularity just rose 20%. In other words, zero credibility in the real world.

[Keepthesoulalive]

17. Hopefully you can find someone

Better than Rasmussen, he tends to be a little biased.

[EarlG]

18. FWIW, traffic is up over previous levels

We just had to upgrade our front-end servers due to increased traffic.

[Bmoboy]

23. Truth

Thank you.

[senseandsensibility]

31. I am very glad to hear that

I really want DU to succeed. Thanks for posting that.

[MayReasonRule]

47. Here's To That Being The Bulk Of What We've Noticed!

DU is too valuable of a resource for this community and our nation to go by the wayside.

[multigraincracker]

62. That's what I thought.

I kind of look a time between new post. Now we get up to 3 post in one minute.
I usually don’t respond when there are more than 20 replies. So I’ve been making fewer responses now.

I do fear this site going down for any length of time. Paranoid?
Thanks for all you do.

[intheflow]

19. I find myself spending more time of BlueSky these days.

Like Twitter of olden days, it often has the breaking news people post here an hour or two before I see it here. Now I'm using DU more for long editorial pieces and long video clips.

I also don't post as much here any more because I suspect I've been stalked by posters who haven't appreciated my constructive criticism of some Dem leaders, to the point where I've started having posts locked or removed, basically the first time this has happened in the 20+ years I've been here. I don't care to post where I'm not wanted. Sad to say, it's not only Republicans who feel the need to silence people who they don't agree with. Or else, whoever was doing it is a troll. Whatever the case, these are reasons why I don't post here as much any more.

[senseandsensibility]

29. Thanks for your honesty

There's nothing you expressed that hasn't crossed my mind too.

[questionseverything]

37. Sadly I just read a thread where a newby got hides for

Saying, making fun of people in wheelchairs should be off limits

I’m paraphrasing but that was the jist of it

[Ocelot II]

55. That's not what happened. The many hides resulted from their trashing of Jasmine Crockett

who said something that was not making fun of TX Gov. Abbott but refused to consider Crockett's explanation:

Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said that she was not deriding Gov. Greg Abbott’s use of a wheelchair when she called him “Governor Hot Wheels” in a speech, but that she was referring instead to his policy of sending migrants who cross the border into Texas to blue cities across the country.

“I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable,” she wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.

“Literally, the next line I said was that he was a ‘Hot A** Mess,’ referencing his terrible policies,” she added. “At no point did I mention or allude to his condition.”

https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/jasmine-crockett-texas-governor-greg-abbott-disability-rcna198147

They also used the word "Democrat" where the correct usage would have been "Democratic" - a dead giveaway.

[questionseverything]

57. Actually this makes the point, I can't debate you because

I would get a hide

[MayReasonRule]

46. I Too...

There is a larger berth of expression allowed within the Blue Sky universe.

Hence...

When my thoughts fall outside of DU rules I head to Blue Sky.

[Ping Tung]

20. Trafffic in good news is low. Traffic in bad news is unavoidable. Thus, a lot of us who tire of bad news

are avoiding it.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

24. Thank you for your post. nt

[calimary]

25. Thanks for this post, my friend.

Now is a VERY good time to give each other support and encouragement.

We’ve got to BEAT these bastards, and the stronger a united front we become, the better our chances of success.

[AmericaUnderSiege]

26. Well, it is Wednesday.

I don't see any reason to be discouraged either. The sheer amount of effort the regime spends on purely symbolic attacks should tell us everything about what it's really built on. And even the crimes that are tangible can be fixed just as tangibly: A civil service fired in a matter of weeks can for damn sure be rehired even quicker.

"The President of the United States, ____________, hereby orders that all federal employees terminated from service by Donald Vladimir Trump are reinstated to said service if they wish, and back pay awarded to them. This action is in recognition of the illegality of their termination and the honor of their work for this nation. America offers its apologies to them for what they have been through, and hopes they will pursue their work with renewed vigor and determination."

Or something like that.

[H2O Man]

28. Keep hope alive!

And fight like hell.

Recommended.

[Beck23]

32. I'm just not surprised anymore.

[H2O Man]

33. Recommended.

I think that we must keep in mind the possibility -- even likelihood -- that many fell asleep while reading my latest OP.

[senseandsensibility]

35. Love it

Self-deprecating humor is a sign of superior intelligence. You know how I know that? Trump has none.

[hvn_nbr_2]

34. Thanks for your comment about CNN

I've been wondering if I should maybe take a look at Plutocracy Pravda and see if anything has changed.

[senseandsensibility]

36. I find that when it comes to serious foreign policy

issues they are much better than when they attempt political "analysis."

[LilElf70]

38. My take......

People are really bumming about how this country has been tossed in a shit bucket, allowing billionaires the privilege to run a country of 333 million people, without any credible plan or proven way to get their country back. People that were never voted for are controlling everything in your everyday life. A country that has been taken over by a felon, rapist, and lunatic, that wants nothing but revenge against the Democrats. That's his only goal. And if we don't stop him, we will live in an authoritarian style of life for the rest of our lives.

Kind of a bummer, isn't it?

What is one to do? Just sit around and let it happen, and hope for the best? Sorry, but I and millions of others have no clue how to proceed. How this situation was allowed to happen is insane. God help us all....

[58Sunliner]

39. Rec. I noticed the same. Drastic drop-off after the election.

It can be hard to deal with. I, unfortunately, need to know what is happening as it happens. Ignoring the news just makes me anxious.

[Bengus81]

40. Where I live the weather is great. Supposed to be 85 in Kansas tomorrow

Out in the yard for hours and hours keeping my mind off of Musk and Social Security.

[markodochartaigh]

42. Staying with my sister for a few days

I watched mainstream media. Normally I only watch Rachel and Lawrence O'Donnell. I get most of my news from Thom Hartmann, The Meidas Touch, Rick Smith, Malcolm Nance, Aaron Parnas, etc. I was very surprised to see MSNBC and CNN covering last week's debacles in a fairly decent way. But I worry that all of the blame will be attached to Trump when, in my view, 95% of the Republican party as well as the Republican voters are just as much to blame. Cutting out the tumor that is Trump won't cure the cancer of authoritarianism.

[senseandsensibility]

80. Well, you are right that trump is a symptom

not the problem. Maybe that's another thing Dems should be messaging about. Boy is their plate full. Still, it's good to see that the media has some limits, and is not completely rolling over on this issue, at least. Small victories, my friend.

[MayReasonRule]

44. I've Noticed The Same Thing

[Wanderlust988]

45. There's way too much redundancy on DU....too many doom and gloom posts

Every day, someone creates a new post stating that Trump is a Nazi, We are going to be in a Civil War, we are in a authoritarianism, or we have no democracy and no more elections, etc., etc.

We on the left already know this. I don't know why people post the same shit over and over with no new information. We already know life ain't great now. No need to make a thousand posts about the same damn thing.

[bif]

48. And it's like no one checks to see if something is already posted.

I constantly see duplicate posts, over and over. Pet peeve of mine.

[ProfessorGAC]

53. Except...

...in this very thread, EarlG says traffic is actually UP!
So, your analysis is based on a flawed premise.
Your pint may be valid, but it can't be the cause of a reduced traffic condition that doesn't exist.

[questionseverything]

60. The sites traffic could be up with out people posting

So both things could be true

[ProfessorGAC]

70. If You Say So

I've been here almost 24 years and I disagree with your assessment.

[questionseverything]

75. Post # 68 explains it better than I did

[Violet_Crumble]

68. There's a difference between traffic and engagement...

If there's 500k visitors (traffic), but only 50k of them post or rec a post (engagement), that's two different measurements of how a site is going. A really high level of traffic is great for a website that wants people to read (media, and I'd include DU), but a low level of engagement is bad news for a website that wants or needs people to do something once they arrive on a page or site (I'd include DU in that, but to a lower extent).

I think what the OP is noticing is lower engagement. I could hazard some guesses as to why that's happening, but for me personally it's a mixture of bluesky, being busy, and like other posters upthread have said, the inability by a loud minority to respect views they disagree with. It's only a few days ago I saw a thread where a third person jumped into a back and forth between two long-term DUers and called the one they disagreed with a troll, which the first long-term DUer started agreeing with and gleefully going down the troll rabbit hole. I've got better things to do than be subject to that nastiness and place my faith in a jury that may or may not hide a blatant violation of the TOS.

[MayReasonRule]

81. I Enjoy Bouncing Between DU And Blue Sky

Over there I'm We Are Stardust We Are Golden

Come on over... Take your shoes off... Stay awhile...

DU is unique in it's own right and was instrumental in assisting progress within our society before I ever knew it existed.

Happy Wednesday...

Don't let the bastards get ya' down!

[DFW]

51. A couple of work weeks from hell here.

Over the weekend, I was looking at one all-day project near Rotterdam yestersay, and the rest of the week off. Fat chance!

Today, I had to get up at 4 AM to make my appointments in Paris that all materialized during the day Monday. This evening, I got a 5:22 PM train up to Utrecht (changing once). I will be picked up tomorrow morning to drive up north to some NL government installation that asked for my assistance with a project. Tomorrow evening, the drive back to Utrecht, where I’ll again spend the night and head down to Sprout City Friday morning for one project there, then home to Düsseldorf so I can see my wife for a change. Saturday, I have to run down the Rhein to southern Germany, where I have a conference that will last past noon on Sunday. Then back up to Düsseldorf, where I’m taking Monday off (for real this time!!) and seeing my cardiologist (also for real) on Tuesday just to make sure the vital equipment is not being overloaded with stress.

I had the time to write this post because my connection from Paris was on time to the minute, and I made a connection an hour earlier than expected. Anyone interested in a high-paying job with a lot of travel, six weeks paid vacation, and a fair degree of autonomy? Beyond a few specialty qualifications, all that is really required is a lack of a need for sleep, an EU residence and work permit, and written and oral skills in English, German, French, Spanish, Russian and Dutch. Catalan, Italian and Swedish would be helpful, but I guess I can’t be too demanding. The rest is just minor stuff.

I also welcome posts closely following outright lies by Gabbard and that other clown, as well as Hegseth’s unforgivable bungle—if he was drunk, he should get hounded from office. If he was sober, he should get life without parole for treason. The Trumputin trashing of our governmental infrastructure is numbing. I almost feel like I have been given a general anesthetic from the neck on down, and am being forced to watch while my limbs are being sawed off, one by one.

I just tune out the “Bernie said #67” of the day, or the “heroic” people protesting “on behalf of the Palestinians,” without ever a peep about the South Sudanese, Rohingya, etc. I fully get that there are people interested in nothing else, I just have no urge to join them.

I was pleased to see a post lauding Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia. He’s almost too good for America to deserve him. Pete/Jon in 2028? Naah, what have we done to deserve a ticket that good?

I mean, There IS plenty going with DU. If some of our lives beyond the computer screen take precedence now and then, well, attention to the real world can’t be entirely negative, can it?

[OverBurn]

52. Everyday it's just doom scrolling, no fault of anyone on here, just the way it is. I don't see much hope left.

They get away with everything. There's no sane Republicans left with any sway. The bad guys are winning very biggly. I'm afraid to look at my stock account. Afraid to look on here, to read the next batshit crazy thing they do next.

[allegorical oracle]

54. Am still cleaning up from hurricane Helene, and at 77, it's going slowly. Also am

not as good with a chainsaw as Elon is. (Wouldn''t it be nice if he were helping instead of harming people?)

[senseandsensibility]

64. Yes it would be nice

So sorry for what you're going through, my friend.

[allegorical oracle]

74. Thank you very much. Get pretty low some days.

[MuseRider]

58. Could it be Bluesky?

I have not even looked at it but wondered when I started seeing more and more people here mention it. I don't think there is a fight about where to go but each would take a good amount of time. I cannot handle all of that so if Bluesky has something new and it gets posted here I am content that way. This is home to me and I pretty much trust everyone here. Add the TV news, papers etc. I do not think it is a bad thing for all of this to be out here. Seems to be helpful when trying to figure out some of the things that are so out of the norm.

[progree]

59. Tax season - it's getting to be crunch time for the procrastinators, like me

I'm not really a procrastinator, but DU and essential daily living tasks have taken up almost all of my time.

In case some people missed it, EarlG in #18 upthread says:

FWIW, traffic is up over previous levels
We just had to upgrade our front-end servers due to increased traffic.

[SunSeeker]

63. DU has been really slow and glitchy. Not fun to use. nt

[highplainsdem]

78. Yes. It's sometimes taken me several minutes to post an OP or reply after it's written.

[Permanut]

65. Trump Exhaustion here..

News seems to be All Trump 24 hours a day (which is exactly what he wants, of course) so my post count is temporarily down.

My commitment to DU and the ideals we stand for have not changed, in fact I just made my sign for the April 5th March

[mahina]

66. I was just thinking of how many fewer comments I make than I used to, relying on rec and bookmarks.

Last edited Wed Mar 26, 2025, 06:35 PM - Edit history (1)

I am pondering why. Thanks for the topic. I hope we don't lose traffic outside the bounds of normal cycles. It has been a difficult time but DU is a treasure.

I can read articles anywhere but nowhere else can I read the thoughts of a particular group of wise ones whose perspective I trust.

One reason I comment less is that my first response is often something demotivating, and nobody needs to hear that. I also mute my scolding response to others who do make those hopeless comments, most of the time.

I less frequently think my .02 merits mention. I do try to thank those generous DUers who share here.

[senseandsensibility]

67. That's a great perspective, mahina!

I share your feelings about DU.

[elocs]

69. Maybe because DU seems to be the place where hope comes to die.

You can only take so much of that.

[Meowmee]

72. How do you know?

I can't watch the videos a lot of the time here unless they are linked from twitter. I have to go to youtube.

[Peacetrain]

73. I am myself exhausted.. I think we are all exhausted.. I feel like we have been chasing a group

of two year olds and getting them to settle down.. We are only 2 months into these shenanigans.. Can you imagine what it will be like next year.. Its part of their plan.. just keep throwing crap, never stop..

[Meowmee]

77. They have all the power and they know it

Last edited Wed Mar 26, 2025, 11:43 PM - Edit history (1)

As long as R and their voters go along with it. Plus they seem to have boundless energy. It must be the drugs in some cases.

[Basso8vb]

76. I've given myself a social media curfew of 5pm weekdays and abstaining on weekends.

It's all I can handle anymore.

[senseandsensibility]

79. Yes, limits are important

It sounds like you have set some good guidelines.

[usonian]

83. With 95 rec's, you just proved yourself wrong.

I sometimes kick my own posts when I feel they are really important info to keep in front of members.

Like my list of sites coordinating protests, rallies etc.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10113922

[Raine]

84. I know I'm here a lot less ...

I'll just come in and read the first page. I hardly ever respond, too much of the same old, same old. I can only take so much Trump hate before it puts me in a real demoralized state of mind.