Should posts bashing Democratic candidates be allowed on DU?

[denverbill]

Poll question: Should posts bashing Democratic candidates be allowed on DU?

[leftyandproud]

1. Dean sucks!!!

and bush is a moronic ass wipe!!
:)

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. are you suggesting "1st ammendment zones"?????

[denverbill]

4. There now, see.

At least if it's a freeper invader posting it, he has to bash his own boy worse than our guys.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. Yes, but assertions should be backed up with FACTS

character bashing threads show a lack of perspective on the part of the basher.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

5. "falling in love with your candiate" is good...bashing others is BAD but

i'm absolutely sure all is well and all WILL fall in line behind whoever gets the nodafter the primaries :7 fear not

[mitchtv]

6. there is a thin line

I will not accept advocating Recall,it's just like saying" Vote Puke" maybe Daivs is not liberal enough for some, but he sure beats the alternative.
As for the National candidates, nothing speaks louder than an unanswered thread. speak well of your candidate. Bashing others just shows the bankruptcy of your candidates' platform.

[Capn Sunshine]

7. If I posted every anti- your guy talking point coming out of Burlington

I'd need a second keyboard.
It's pointless to bash the other candidates.

Unless they refuse for some reason to declare whether or not they are running; then they're open game.

But the second someone declares, hey , why bother. It's not up to us , it's up to the public

And Bush is an idiot addict child fronting for an evil regime of craven greed whores.

[Dr Fate]

8. DUers who posts false info about candidates should be banned

If a DUer is asked to back up an accusation, and refuses, and then continues to repeat the false claim, then he should be deemed disruptive - I dont know how else you could define that behavior...

I know many DUers who continually post false claims about several different candidates, even after other DUers post links proving them wrong or casting doubt- they just go to another thread and start the accusations anew, hoping no one will notice.

It's one thing to defend your own candidate, but spreading lies about other candidates, especially after youve been called on it, should be considered disruptive...

Im FOR constructive criticism- I'm against baseless accusations, name calling and out-right lying (YES-its lying once you have been proved wrong and you continue to say it- sorry)

Poster who do this should be banned, in my humble opinion.

[Semi_subversive]

9. If it's not constructive criticism

then, STFU!

[Terwilliger]

10. Dream SNL skit...they have the hot-tub scene again...but this time...

all nine ACTUAL candidates are in the skit, throwing bombs whilst sipping sherry (or whatever)

[LeahMira]

11. Why bash?

Telling the plusses about one candidate is more productive.

Frankly, Dean seems to be latching on to the righteous anger in the U.S. about the ways that the present administration is headed, especially in the Middle East, and that's good. At the same time, Kerry seems to be offering some solid alternative plans for the Middle East that I haven't heard from Dean as yet.

I also like Kerry's support for health care, although I can't imagine a doctor like Dean ignoring that. I just haven't heard him speak to that issue as yet.

Al Sharpton was in Delaware over the weekend and he made the point that the Democratic party depends on the black vote but has been sort of ignoring the black voters' concerns over the past while. I totally support affirmative action, but other than that I'm not entirely certain what black voters' concerns are.

So there! I tried to say something nice about a few candidates (and something as honest as I can be), and at the same time point out what others may need to improve on.

[rucky]

15. And something nice about Bush:

As far as moronic asswipes go, * has satisfactory to above average personal hygene skills. There, that was fair and balanced.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. These Intramural Battles Are What Gives This Board It's Flavor

nt

[buddhamama]

13. i am not from your planet -what is bashing?

are threads dedicated to discussing a candidates hair considered bashing?

what is valid criticism based on analysis,POV?

and who gets to decide on this bashing?

and what the hell would we all discuss-
Bush and Co. are ruining the our country and the rest of the world has already been covered.

[denverbill]

16. Well, see, the problem is this.

If you were my best friend who I've known for years and who I've known to be a liberal/progressive/Democrat, you can pick any issue with any candidate, up to and including haircut, and I have no problem with it, because I know deep down, you have progressive values as your primary interest, and anything you say is strictly to promote those interests. Your criticism in that case is valid and helpful, as it helps both of us make a better determination of who to vote for.

Here, otoh, we have hundreds of freeper types, whose soul purpose in being on these boards is to turn Democrat against Democrat, Democrat against Green, progressive against liberal. It's very tough distinguishing between a smart conservative (oxymoron, I know) disrupter and a genuine progressive when you only know that person, if at all, from a few posts or even a few hundred posts.

I know, for a fact, that we have had numerous, long-term freepers here. You will NEVER see them bash Bush. They will argue all along the fringes, make disparaging comments about occasional Democrats, and argue against progressive policies, but mostly, they snipe at candidates and pretend to support the one they want Bush to face. Why? Because they want liberals/Democrats to either:

1) turn Republican or
2) vote Green or
3) stay home on election day.

That's why I like option #3. If some god-damned freeper is spewing his crap on our threads, undistinguishable from the rest of us, we should at least force him to bash his own hero. Freepers will be loathe to do it, but very few real progressives would have any problem calling Bush a failed-ceo-cheerleader.

So if you're going to claim to be a candidate-A supporter and want to bash my man Dean, feel free to do so, but just be damned sure to note in the bash that Bush sucks donkey dicks for nickels and gives change.

[Brian Sweat]

14. I voted no, but I would like to qualify that.

I think that there is a difference between legitimate discussion and bashing. I do not have a problem with legitimate discussing.

It is perfectly acceptable to start a thread to discuss the fact that Howard Dean supports a plan to use pre-schoolers as a food supliment, just so long as you have VALID proof that he supports such a plan.

Made up shit or stuff from questionable sources is beyong the pale.