Given that this is a forum for Democrats, I'm all for getting rid of anyone who is not for

[freshwest]

247. Certainly not coming here to talk *to* people, but rather talk *at* people. It wastes our time here.

As far as them making their own blog, an anti-Democratic one, they don't have the ability to do so. So they feed off DU like vampires. They will not stop coming here. The Admins have made a site that is the envy of others with its features. It will always draw those who have no interest in Democratic ideas or winning elections but use it to further other agendas.

The Admins cannot control those who come here and use DU as a public toilet, and if they banned these people they would take their page views with them. Possibly the hope is that these threads will breed resistance to this process, but that's not what's happening, nor has it been for a long time.

What we read here abuses the conscience and insults the intelligence of Democrats. IRL, Democrats who are making a difference do not fall for outrage, and they work with facts to change things. The outrage machine is a rightwing methodology that bypasses the thinking part of the brain, it goes to the gut, the technique of Fox News. But there is no objection to this allowed here anymore. There are no rules here on the level of discourse or of truth or facts, and that is not liberal or progressive and won't accomplish those goals.

These Do-Nothings profess a commitment to social change for ideals of justice, equality, and opportunity, and then abstain from and discourage all effective action for change. They are known by their brand, 'I agree with your ends but not your means'.

~ Saul Alinsky

I've posted on sites before that did not permit an unlinked OP to stand, or assertions that could not be backed up. That is now the norm today at DU, except for news pieces and articles quoted.

Those sites did not permit OP posters to ignore facts posted on their threads rebutting them, or abuse those posting facts personally, while never offering facts to argue with them. This goes on daily here, where facts are ignored and never answered by OP writers, or they or others abuse those who post facts to prove their side of a discussion. And those sites did not allow posters to dump a thread and never come back to answer anyone. It is one thing to do such when posting something that is not one's personal opinion, but a news story. Those who ignored their responsiblity to have a fair discussion were banned.

DU has become the equivalent of the last call at a honky tonk, with language and jumping to conclusions very much like Rush, and extremely hostile to Democrats, period. This place is destructive to those looking for information they can use to win elections and to bring about progressive change.

I don't think the Admins have a solution to this, although it is against the mission statement of DU. Since the TOS is not going to be enforced, perhaps it should be eliminated. It has only caused people who post here expecting DU to support Democrats and allow free discussion of how to achieve the goals of the Democratic Party platform disappointment.