General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSkinner: We've got a whole new system lined up and ready to go...
I am looking forward to the changes.
We've got a whole new system lined up and ready to go...
...along with very clear rules that apply to everyone. And we are going to insist that everyone follow our rules.
I could stop this crap right now if we went live with the new system right now. But I'm not going to do that. I'm going to wait until the primaries are over. Why am I going to do that? Because I'm not an idiot.
If I unveil a new, strict system of rules and enforcement RIGHT NOW, what is going to happen? All the partisan jerks are going to lose their shit, and they're going to claim that the whole thing is a politically motivated ploy by the biased DU Administrators in order to crack down on their favored candidate. And you know what? Everyone else is going to believe it because they are primed to believe every stupid self-serving thing that fits the narrative that their side is being oppressed by me.
Surely people wouldn't believe that, would they?
Of course they would! Read some of the stuff that people have been saying about me for the last year and a half. People have lost their freaking minds, and their humanity.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1259&pid=10581
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1259
MariaThinks
(2,495 posts)DCBob
(24,689 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)"stupid" when "baka" is more fun??
DCBob
(24,689 posts)DesertRat
(27,995 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)I generally will skim through GD-P, but rarely post.
No one listens to anyone else in there anyway.
I very much look forward to the new system and rules.
frylock
(34,825 posts)moriah
(8,311 posts)onehandle
(51,122 posts)But the divisive embedded trolls will just slink back into the shadows and go back to subtle manipulation.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)...DU will be more civil.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)LonePirate
(13,420 posts)Is Brock paying people to post those?
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)If the FBI investigation concludes she broke the law, why should she not be held accountable?
LonePirate
(13,420 posts)That makes them no different than Republicans. Everybody knows an indictment is not coming but the hyper-partisans around here have ignored that reality in order to push their agenda - an agenda to promote their own candidate when all hope is lost and to stoke the fires on the other side. Those types of posts are easily distinguishable from posts that are simply communicating news about the topic.
Furthermore, Bernie supporters are the ones posting the overwhelming majority of indictment posts because the Hillary supporters couldn't care less about a topic they know is going nowhere.
HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)Typical Hillarian logic fail. No Democrat is calling for an indictment based upon partisanship. The call is for an indictment if the evidence warrants one. A pretty simple legal concept, yet still too complex for fanboi Hillarians to grasp.
LonePirate
(13,420 posts)The list of Bernie supporters around here calling for an indictment is immense. The vast majority are doing so because they think it will help Bernie. I don't think they give a damn about the issues involved in the case - issues and evidence so far that certainly don't warrant an indictment. Not only that, but all of this indictment talk started with Republicans and then Bernie supporters saw it as a means to attack Hillary. If the hyper partisans around here really cared about the law, they would have sprearheaded the investigation themselves instead of jumping onto the Republican bandwagon. Their support of the investigation is all crass politics and has nothing to do with the law.
Response to LonePirate (Reply #67)
TM99 This message was self-deleted by its author.
LonePirate
(13,420 posts)Even the media is picking up on how Sanders' supporters are now banking on or praying for a mythical indictment. It's all quite transparent actually.
Response to LonePirate (Reply #90)
TM99 This message was self-deleted by its author.
beaglelover
(3,476 posts)Response to beaglelover (Reply #114)
TM99 This message was self-deleted by its author.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)I read some of the emails in question, You can too. They are both housed by the State Department FOIA room and Wikileaks. The latter is far better organized. I knew there was a problem with four of them because of my training as a historian. SO I took the next step and asked an expert. You know somebody who knows about these issues.
Then I have read other primary sources, like the OIG report. That one I asked a couple lawyers. Don't ever ask the defense team, because regardless who is the accused, they are innocent and never ask the prosecution, they are guilty as sin. So I asked a third party, one that works in the field. And the opinion was that the OIG would put pressure on the FBI to issue a recommendation to charge. As I said I spoke to a lawyer.
I have told you before, I care little if your party comes out when all is said and done with the man on the moon. I really do not care. And to be brutally honest, in our current system of law, she will probably skate (in the form of likely a pardon if the charges are ever filed), because somebody as well connected as she is, will never darken a court room. And she also knows where the skeletons are buried, and they would have to read the Judge, the jury and the lawyers into a lot of intel... they don't like to do that.
I am not praying... I am waiting for the FBI to come out with this, and hopefully before the convention. This is purely for logistical reasons,
Now... heard a few things from locals. Party members, above your pay grade, are starting to get shall we say... concerned. And none would be too shocked, if neither Bernie or HRC emerge as the nominee. I admit it will piss everybody off. If this shoe drops after the convention, even after certification, it makes things a little more complicated.
beaglelover
(3,476 posts)Sure! We believe you since you're so well connected down south.
LOL!!
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
thereismore
(13,326 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)He's a human being.
I can't believe how much garbage has been slung his way. If people hate this site so much, or the admins, let them go play elsewhere.
thereismore
(13,326 posts)Snotcicles
(9,089 posts)LonePirate
(13,420 posts)How many Clinton supporters do you find on here making posts about Skinner being a Bernie supporter and letting them get away with bloody murder around here? Not that many.
How many Bernie supporters make posts about Skinner being a Hillary supporter and giving her voters free reign to say whatever on DU? There are legions of them.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Banning NYC_SKIP and loonix were kinda like a rancher hanging a wolfs carcass on the fence as a warning to others. Anyone with any time working in organizations could see that. What he didn't anticipate was the way Hillary supporters would use that cover to insult, demean and belittle progressives, essentially reincarnating new and more numerous NYC_SKIP and loonix type posters. Until recently my perception is the ban hammer has been unevenly applied.
The other metric is post volume and page views. I'm guessing they are doing ok.
DU was created at a time of opposition to power. It's easy to coalesce to oppose war and economic injustice. Much harder to defend the same when your in power now almost eight years. Any criticism of the status quo is inevitably attack on the PTB, which are Democrats.
LonePirate
(13,420 posts)From where I sit, both sides antagonize the other but the Bernie wing is far more insulting as they have gone after not just Hillary but also Obama, the party and DU itself. The Hillary wing isn't doing any of those things.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Matt_in_STL
(1,446 posts)MFM008
(19,808 posts)that support HRC are taking money from someone right?
Ive been here since 2010, I lurked long before that.
I will be here excluding death 5 years from now.
Still not getting money from Brock
Still supporting HRC.
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)I'd want to be paid for it.
That you're willing to do it for free does not reflect well upon you.
Matt_in_STL
(1,446 posts)But c'mon. Even you have to admit that there has been an unprecedented influx of brand new posters that immediately light up their transparency and amazingly, almost wholly are Hillary "supporters". And, also as a huge coincidence, started arriving around the time the Brock payout party was announced.
BuelahWitch
(9,083 posts)It's easy to separate the long time posters from the Brock University Grads. Just look at when they signed on. If it was in the past three months or so, likely it's a Hill Shill
PS. Maybe old Dave will send you a few pennies for taking your hits on DU.
virgogal
(10,178 posts)Whining annoys the hell out of me.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)HuckleB
(35,773 posts)MFM008
(19,808 posts)or get out.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It doesn't make sense.
He deals with it a lot better than I would.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)Last edited Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:40 PM - Edit history (1)
The creation of a silly Hillary font was the start.
Buying into the repeated Brock lies about Bernie (not researching the photograph before posting about it) made it worse.
Mix that with people's ATA experience, and you're going to get that type of "attack."
Me, I simply lost a ton of respect for the admins who told us it would be smart as moderators back in 2004 to not show a preference for one candidate over another. The "attacks" wouldn't have happened if he had followed his own (very wise at the time) advice. But he is young and now a bit more financially successful. This stuff happens. It's how we ended up with a candidate who speaks to the privileged anyway.
BUT...
If one doesn't like it, one is always free to leave. So, I agree with you there. It doesn't make sense that these people wouldn't simply leave. I'm guessing they feel a need to have their (many times financially supportive) voices heard.
I hope you take this in the manner intended.
AzDar
(14,023 posts)nbsmom
(591 posts)Paulie
(8,462 posts)^K^R^A^K^E^N.
The accidental swift boater was pretty bad.
Ah well, shall see how it all turns out once the switch is flipped. Those who can't be civil will likely be gone shortly after.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)of mouths. That's solely his responsibility. Some slings and arrows are bound to come from a change like that.
Other than that though, I can't think of any reason to be critical of him. Been pretty steady-state and even handed on everything else.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)...he used whenever someone complained about the former asylum inmates misbehaving again. I mean who could have predicted that people with double-digit hides, and well known disruptive proclivities, would do the same exact same things when given not only Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free cards, but amnesty if they misbehaved again?
Yes it's his sandbox, but don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining....
Rob H.
(5,351 posts)I like to think most people would realize what a laugh-out-loud stupid idea that is before implementing it. An end-run around the rules was handed to them on a silver platter and they did with it exactly what they should have been expected to do.
alarimer
(16,245 posts)At least for the election stuff.
Democat
(11,617 posts)We'll find out.
AirmensMom
(14,642 posts)Some of us like Bernie. Not the same as Trump.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)It's about backing the nominee of the Democratic Party.
AirmensMom
(14,642 posts)Does not have a nominee until the Convention. There are states that have not voted yet. However unlikely it is for Bernie to become the nominee, it's not over. Saying that does not equal support for Trump.
Ned_Devine
(3,146 posts)Holy shit. It's after reading a post like yours where I say to myself, "That's something an asshole would say."
PJMcK
(22,035 posts)Your patience has been tacitly noticed and appreciated by many of us on DU. The partisanship and name-calling by some posters has been beyond tiresome. I, for one, am looking forward to the General Election and the new, more adult and polite environment that I'm certain you and your team are planning.
Meanwhile, vote a straight Democratic ticket on November 8th!
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)term that can be interpreted to take a few years off me.
Seriously, it's just language. I don't use that kind of language generally, but it does not bother me in the least to read or hear it.
If someone used the same language in a foreign tongue, no one would be offended at all. It's the meaning we ascribe to language that makes it offensive.
Anyway. I'm a Berniebro, so I will probably be out of here when the Hillary crowd takes over.
So this doesn't concern me. But I thought I would say a word to the language censors among us. Learn a few foreign languages and then see how you feel about the linguistic prudery of English speakers.
As we used to say in grade school, "Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words never hurt me."
Most people like to dish it out but can't take it.
Democat
(11,617 posts)What is wrong with Sanders or Clinton fans who would rather have Trump win than a Democrat?
Sounds like all of your "it's just talk" is just talk.
People like you are as bad as actual Trump supporters. You know better but you prefer anarchy and destruction rather than making a difference.
Anyone who isn't willing to fight against Trump should leave DU now.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Where did the poster state that they would rather have Trump?
Just because they don't like Hillary/Bernie doesn't mean they are FOR Trump.
Why is that so difficult for people to understand?
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)There's no satisfaction in having a discussion about politics with someone who (intentionally?) fails to grasp basic concepts.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)A post made is a penny earned, no matter how lame the response is.
"Pro-Trump!"
"RW troll!"
"BernieBro!"
Oh, yeah! Big Money comin' through!
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)I don't see no stinkin' logic.
Democat
(11,617 posts)There will be two options. Help to defeat Trump regardless of which of the two Democrats is running against him or help Trump to win by not joining the fight against him.
Anyone who is old enough to have lived through Bush and who doesn't help to defeat Trump is not on our side.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)Best to stop digging...
Khellendross
(28 posts)I just also don't support a candidate with as much baggage as she has and has acted since the beginning as though she's entitled to the oval office. There are many other women who would've made a fantastic president, but her cheerleaders seem so focused on overlooking her flaws just so we can check off the box of "First Female President". Had Bernie received the same media attention as Hillary or even better, the orgy of attention they have paid to Trump, this would've been a far different election. Again, I don't support Trump, but I hate that it looks like we're going into the election with her as the nominee when there was a much better alternative.
whatthehey
(3,660 posts)Where only the Dem nominee or the R nominee have any chance of becoming president, and any choice but A or B is a wasted opportunity to influence that contest. Barring miracles that's Clinton or Trump. Pick your favorite, or your least hated, and vote accordingly.
Different Drummer
(7,614 posts)Raster
(20,998 posts)First of all, we could have had better candidates, but the Clinton machine pulled out all the stops to bill Hillary as the frontruner. No one wanted to have to run against the Clinton machine - you don't just run again Hillary on a candidate-to-canditate basis, you have to run the fucking gauntlet. And the Clinton machine made it very clear: no dissension or interference would tolerated. This was Hillary's turn.
Second, the baggage. Hillary Clinton has has more fucking luggage than American Tourister and more issues than National Geographic. In the quest for "Hill's turn," and the first female POTUS, caution and logical, rational thinking have been thrown to the wind. I agree, Clinton will most likely be our Party's nominee and just may pull off a win against Trump. However, the Republican Party that is wheezing and gasping on life support is about to get the Lazarus treatment, thanks to an ill-conceived Clinton Presidency.
I DO NOT SUPPORT TRUMP, and I RESENT THE FUCK out of anyone that postulates that because I'm not head-over-Hillary, I must be supporting Trump. False statement, false equivalency.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)IronLionZion
(45,438 posts)moriah
(8,311 posts)... there'd been an alert on the original and it failed, but the second was hidden.
Not that I wouldn't have hidden both, because personal attack and namecalling. But I'm only one juror.
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)make and enforce rules. Those who are comfortable with the coming changes will stay and participate and those who won't will be free to go elsewhere. I've been here since the beginning, and I know I woud find DU a hard habit to break. However, if the site becomes a pro Hillary echo chamber, no dissension allowed, I would have to regretfully leave. For now, I'll reserve judgment.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Stinky The Clown
(67,798 posts)One of them in particular comes to mind. It is as apolitical as it can get. I mean WAY away from politics. It is also such a special interest that controversy is rare. That said, the site is VERY heavily moderated. The lines with respect to civility between participants is drawn at zero. Even use of the words "hell" or "damn" will get your post deleted. While that is probably too draconian for a liberal political web site, it is also very effective. No one has a right to post to that site. Those of us who choose to do so, do so with a clear understanding of the rules. We choose to post there and we choose to follow the rules.
While it may not be as busy a site as this one, it is never, ever unpleasant. Never. I'm not sure how large it really is. Maybe as big as DU, maybe bigger, maybe not. It has many forums and groups and for the most part members stay in one of them or maybe just a few. I participate in 5 of them. I can often spend more time there than I can at DU. But maybe more to the point, it just more pleasant an experience. And I chalk that up to heavy moderation.
As to the style of moderation, some here could easily term it Gestapo or Stasi like. Break a rule and your post gets deleted. Break it too much and you're gone. There is no appeal. It is, as I said, run by rules that are really enforced.
Some of that kind of thinking may well be in order here at DU.
I used to be one of DU's bigger assholes, never backing down from a dust-up. I decided to change when DU3 was introduced. Funny thing happened. The site became easier to read since I just plain avoid opening threads started by certain posters and by just leaving threads that entertained these same posters. It was a challenge at first, but now its easy. From my perspective, all those toxic (to me) posters did was piss me off. They added absolutely nothing to my life or my political knowledge.
I have never had an ignore list except for the one that exists in my head.
Anyway, I would welcome some internet authoritarianism here at DU.
Just my 2 cents.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Perhaps not on some really esoteric specialty board (and I'm on a couple myself) but in politics there will be bias, it's how humans operate.
Stinky The Clown
(67,798 posts). . . . . "some of this thinking may be in order" instead of saying we need gestapo moderation.
If we had strictly enforced rules against name calling, I would be in trouble for calling another poster a fuckwad. And in truth, we could probably come down on such language even now. The difference is in how we deal with otherwise benign words assembled in a way to mean the same thing.
Even something as mild as a good old southern "Bless Your Heart" could (should?) be considered a personal attack.
Essentially, draw the line at zero with respect to personal attack. No need for bias. It is a simple black and white matter.
On the other hand, were I to call a politician or other public figure a "moron", that would be okay. Using "fuckwad" in place of "moron", may or may not be problematic, depending on how the rules-makers see things.
Mainly, my point was some clear rules in the area of civility would be most welcomed by me and I am sure many others. It isn't censorship. It is rules.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Tighten up the rules too much and no one will want to come and be the product, the trolls keep things humming and keep people clicking which keeps the cash register ringing.
There are a couple of fairly obvious tweaks to the jury system that could be made and would help with the problems a lot, why those tweaks haven't been made is open for speculation.
I'm only here out of habit now, the software is familiar to me and I like some of the people here but DU as anything beyond entertainment I was done with a number of years ago.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)And I agree completely. I also "have never had an ignore list except for the one that exists in my head."
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)He brought s lot of it on with his blanket amnesty of mainly Hillary supportters
Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)I thought the Bern Group had the blanket amnesty..........
hope u can find a little Love in ur heart to support and elect HRC as Prez45
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)She has months to win that support, we will see if she does.
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)There are plenty of people from both camps on FFR. And prior to the amnesty, there were plenty on suspension. Most of them were Hillary supporters.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)Cryptoad
(8,254 posts)As long as the rules are enforced equally to all..... I am good with it!
Rex
(65,616 posts)I know I am not the only one that has brought this up in the past. Skinner is pretty level headed considering some of the garbage people post about him just to piss him off.
I don't know if I could be that nice.
IronLionZion
(45,438 posts)Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)After all, he is successful at his chosen enterprise, everyone else should be doing well also.
It's a mindset that's extremely difficult to avoid if you are successful, I know I had it at one point and then the wheels came off my life rather suddenly and violently.
Orrex
(63,209 posts)This message approved by Orrex.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)BECAUSE OF THE DIVIDE AND CONQUER UBER-RICH AND THEIR PENCHANT FOR WAR, GENOCIDE, POISONING THE EARTH AND ALL HER INHABITANTS, AND THIER INSANE APPETITE TO ENSLAVE, STEAL AND HOARD!!!!!!!!! AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT AND ENABLE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)I'm looking forward to some changes, but after over 10 years here, and a lot of changes to the forum, I'm not sure we are in for the magic bullet.
Democat
(11,617 posts)Right wing name calling against Clinton or Sanders should be banned in addition to whatever other rules are coming.
There are so many people here willing to use right wing smears against the Democratic candidates who need to beat Trump. DU is not the place for right wing smears.
Maven
(10,533 posts)complaining to Daddy about name-calling.
"Dad...<sob>...she...<sob>...called me...<sob><hiccup>...a BernieBroooo, and then I called her a HillaryHoochie <sob><sniffle>...and then I got punished by the teacher and she didn't! <sob><wail>"
JHC. Skinner already has a little one at home. He doesn't need thousands more children to chaperone.
yardwork
(61,607 posts)Good points, too.
saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)I am extremely grateful to Skinner. That does not mean I am willing to support Mrs. Clinton. Skinner has my respect. Mrs. Clinton, I'm waiting for you to speak for me.
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)Both Lincoln and FDR had huge lucky breaks occur at their conventions.
And given some of the stuff happening in terms of needing to cover up various "faux pas" on the part of the Clintons, it does make sense to wait.
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)more sense, but Skinner's site, his rules. DU is not a democracy, so it won't be put to a vote.
Given how polarized the two camps are, I see many DUers departing soon. It's regrettable but understandable.
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)In one of his first remarks about the Bernie vs Clinton camps, Skinner admitted that it
was half of the folks here that are Bernie supporters.
Sure, some people will adapt to all Hillary, all of the time, but none of the people I know supporting Bernie will be interested in talking:
A) about how awful Trump is 24/7
or
B) how wonderful Hillary is 24/7.
And points A and B pretty much summarize how the discussions will be for the 5 months from
June 14th to election day.
So the site will be very vanilla and totally uninteresting. As well as perhaps being deserted!
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)I suspect Skinner will unwittingly or perhaps wittingly be creating a cyber ghost town and Hillary echo chamber. It's a shame because I've been here since the beginning and hate to see it happen.
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)I am also puzzled, because if the DU site could offer up that "Discussionist" side, for more RW types, then why can't it offer up a "reform the Party" or "Progressive" side?
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)becoming more user friendly. Unfortunately, Skinner does not seem much interested in the progressive wing of the party. A shame, but his call. He lets the wingnuts babble on Discussionist but progressive voices are about to be quieted here. Go figure.
pokerfan
(27,677 posts)becoming more user friendly. Unfortunately, Skinner does not seem much interested in the progressive wing of the party. A shame, but his call. He lets the wingnuts babble on Discussionist but progressive voices are about to be quieted here. Go figure.
Welcome to Establishment Aboveground.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)In my view Skinner underestimated the quantity of his product, us, that is suffering in this economy, it's a very easy error to make when you are doing well yourself.
Renew Deal
(81,856 posts)MFM008
(19,808 posts)regulations and numbers.
If you want revolution try Cuba
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)You must be anti Hillary too?
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)countryjake
(8,554 posts)To be continued...and continued...and continued...and...
Feathery Scout
(218 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)divisive primary.
tandot
(6,671 posts)and, some, as Skinner said ... "People have lost their freaking minds, and their humanity"
Some DUers have either completely gone off the deep end or they are just pretending to be progressives to tear us apart with their over the top conspiracy theories.
for the DU Admins
edgineered
(2,101 posts)Damn, sure gonna miss them.
erlewyne
(1,115 posts)I like Skinner. He has a tough job at times.
DU is tremendous and has become a target
because of its popularity.
Keep up the good work Skinner and I expect a pleasant surprise.
I am looking forward to the changes.