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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAn Unauthorized Appeciation Thread for DUer, Scuba ...
I wanted to say ... I appreciate you, Scuba.
You have been a harsh critic of President Obama and Democrats over the course of the year ... and we have butted heads frequently; but I have noticed that I have not seen you post, or pile on to, a single anti-President Obama/anti-Democrat thread. Rather, I have seen you post things that put President Obama and Democrats in a positive light.
I would suggest that this is election strategy at it's best ... and a far better strategy/approach for getting the progressive legislation, we both seek, than the 100s of "Democrats are Doomed because they did/didn't {insert talking point here}.
The former can have a positive (at best) or neutral (at worst) effect on voter sentiment/turn-out; whereas, the latter can have a neutral (at best) or negative (at worst) effect on voter sentiment/turn-out.
Thanks.
1StrongBlackDemocraticMan
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Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)And as for you, I have often disagreed with you but find your positions generally reasoned and thoughtful, even when I find them not falling exactly in line with my own.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)many would argue with you about my positions being generally reasoned and thoughtful! 
But really, this is not about me ... it's meant to highlight Scuba's approach, in the hope that others consider, if not will emulate, it.
I want to see Democrats come out winners in 2014 ... It's our only hope to get the progressive legislation we all seek.
Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)from a "decent" opponent.
Response to 1StrongBlackMan (Original post)
dixiegrrrrl This message was self-deleted by its author.
xchrom
(108,903 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)
KansDem
(28,498 posts)
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)More of Wisconsin could do well by catching what he has.
GOTV
heaven05
(18,124 posts)
sendero
(28,552 posts)... me some Scuba.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)
for both of you!
I enjoy reading posts from both of you!
unionthug777
(740 posts) scuba scuba scuba hunter
(38,346 posts)
markpkessinger
(8,409 posts) 
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)utterly rejecting what I see as a slippery Third Way attempt to
2. while simultaneously and in utter self-contradiction suggesting that only posts that "put President Obama and Democrats in a positive light" are acceptable here and that anything else is "anti-Democrat" or "anti-Obama."
I see no rash of "anti-Democrat" and "anti-Obama" posts or "pile-ons" here at DU whatsoever. I do see citizens speaking out candidly and powerfully, as they should during election season, about what they want and need and expect from politicians who are running to REPRESENT them. For politicians who are truly seeking to represent their constituents, these kinds of conversations should be *welcomed,* because they give the politicians the opportunity to demonstrate their responsiveness and everything they are doing for voters.
I tire of the repeated attempts by the same, predictable group to silence and scold voters for speaking candidly about what we expect from our politicians and party in terms of both policy and election strategy, particularly during the season that is specifically designed for them to be most accessible and responsive to such discussion. I wrote a post a while back about this, which I'll repost here:
Sun Oct 7, 2012, 10:03 AM
woo me with science (28,997 posts)
It's time for this destructive meme about shutting up during elections to stop,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021488072
Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2012, 12:36 PM - Edit history (1)
once and for all.
We have in recent years witnessed a creeping, growing, extremely disturbing line of argument on political discussion boards about shutting up (On edit: Or restricting our participation to adulatory praise) during elections, as though it is a given that good citizens must silence themselves so as not to disturb the delicate strategies being implemented by our parties. Or that they should not ask questions, because they will upset these delicate plans...
This week, we actually heard this garbage move beyond political discussion boards and come from one of the the campaigns itself:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021483594
This bid for silence is an affront to everything our representative political process is supposed to be about. It is a flagrantly antidemocratic demand for passivity by the governed, and it's an outrageous, dangerous meme that we need to stop dead in its tracks. Our entire political system is built around and depends upon government responsiveness to the people's voices. It's called representative government, and vigorous citizen participation in the political process is at the heart and the core of it. *Especially* during election seasons.
This new, outrageous claim that citizens should silence themselves during elections, or restrict themselves to praise, is a corruption of everything elections are supposed to be about in this country.
We have a serious problem of growing corporate control and authoritarianism in this country and in our two political parties. We are living in a time of "free speech zones," ....as though our entire country should not be a zone for free speech....and assaults on peaceful protesters.
It is well past time that the people of America speak out clearly and remind our politicians on both sides that they work for us....not the other way around.
So the next time someone tells you that you need to be quiet or obediently restrict your commentary to praise because it is election season, let them know in no uncertain terms they have it exactly backwards. The very health and survival of our representative government depends on our willingness to speak out and make clear what we expect from our elected representatives. Our power and our responsibility are in our voices....*especially* during elections.
128 Recs
Frankly, if I were Scuba, I would resent your attempt here to use a post that ostensibly honors my contributions in order to take a swipe at other DUers......to mischaracterize and smear as "anti-Obama" or "anti-Democrat" the important continued use of this board as a venue for discussion about what we expect fom our party and how to leverage our power to achieve it.... rather than as a place for submissive participation in an advertising machine where only adulatory posts are welcome.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)You claim to support the election of Democrats (per DU's ToS: Democratic Underground is an online community for politically liberal people who understand the importance of working within the system to elect more Democrats and fewer Republicans to all levels of political office ... If you are bashing, trashing, undermining, or depressing turnout for our candidates during election season, we'll assume you are rooting for the other side.); yet, you feel compelled to denigrate {Edit: MY} may acknowledgement that, IMO, Scuba is serving DU's mission {ETA: and honoring the site's ToS}.
Much like the person with body odor doesn't {Edit: SMELL}
{ETA: I really don't care if you are tired ... I really don't.} Perhaps, you might wish to READ the ToS ... It is pretty clear as to what is, and isn't, allowed on this site during General election season. {ETA: AND IT IS GENERAL ELECTION SEASON} If you are tired, then perhaps you should find another place to spew.
Would only the Administrators enforce their own ToS.
But you are not, and if Scuba felt as you, he/she would plainly say so ... he/she does not need you speaking for him/her; he/she does a pretty good articulating his/her thoughts.
Puglover
(16,380 posts)And I can give you plenty of examples. I.E We had a poster You Better Believe It that spewed anti Obama crap 24 in 7. That poster is gone.
We also had a homophobic shit stirrer HamdenRice that was tossed. And too many others to list that stepped over the line and no longer post here. At least under those user names. I for one appreciate the fact that admin considers very carefully the circumstances when deciding whether or not to PPR a poster or at least a long term poster.
You are not and never will be admin of this site. And it's inappropriate for you to admonish a poster that clearly operates within Admins expectations or ToS as if you were.
And BTW I agree. We are lucky to have Scuba.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)In this case, I feel it absolutely appropriate to admonish Woo for sh!tting all over an appreciation thread, all because he wants the right to sh!t all over Democrats during general election season ... and BTW, bashing democrats during the general election is clearly a ToS violation, whether the admins choose to enforce or act on them, or not.
And yes, the admins do enforce the ToS ... selectively ... some are given a wide berth; whereas, others, not so wide. And it appears to be based on who is saying it and to whom. {Lest, I be censured for whining about DU}
Puglover
(16,380 posts)It's a discussion forum. I take issue when you use admin and the ToS for a personal cudgel. I get it. You disagree with Woo. I certainly don't always agree with Woo or you or my husband for that matter. But I have an issue with bringing a 3rd party into the disagreement and tacitly using them as a threat.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)But I tend/try to follow the rules in other's space ... in the case, in this discussion forum, the rules are clear:
Winning elections is important — therefore, advocating in favor of Republican nominees or in favor of third-party spoiler candidates that could split the vote and throw an election to our conservative opponents is never permitted on Democratic Underground. But that does not mean that DU members are required to always be completely supportive of Democrats. During the ups-and-downs of politics and policy-making, it is perfectly normal to have mixed feelings about the Democratic officials we worked hard to help elect. When we are not in the heat of election season, members are permitted to post strong criticism or disappointment with our Democratic elected officials, or to express ambivalence about voting for them. In Democratic primaries, members may support whomever they choose. But when general election season begins, DU members must support Democratic nominees (EXCEPT in rare cases where were a non-Democrat is most likely to defeat the conservative alternative, or where there is no possibility of splitting the liberal vote and inadvertently throwing the election to the conservative alternative). For presidential contests, election season begins when both major-party nominees become clear. For non-presidential contests, election season begins on Labor Day. Everyone here on DU needs to work together to elect more Democrats and fewer Republicans to all levels of American government. If you are bashing, trashing, undermining, or depressing turnout for our candidates during election season, we'll assume you are rooting for the other side.
It really is that simple ... Well ... maybe not. What does the above mean to you?
Puglover
(16,380 posts)thinking about this.
I see new posters posting polls that have the Democratic candidate trailing followed by the obligatory "Oh noes!" I modded for 3 years on DU2 and I tend to look much more carefully at that kind of stuff rather then long time posters that have legitimate gripes with current candidates.
Por emplo. Here in Minnesota ( a very blue state) we have an guy (D) up north that has been in congress 12 years or so. Colin Peterson. Every fucking commercial the guy runs bloviates how he doesn't/didn't vote with Nancy Pelosi and President Obama 100 percent and brags about opposing the EPA etc etc. Frankly I couldn't give two shits whether this clown wins or not. So if I post that (I would not as it isn't my district, thank God Keith Ellison is my congress critter) am I suppressing the vote? That would be dicey I think.
My thoughts are that the people that frequent this website are political junkies. You could hog tie them and they would find a way to vote for a Democrat on Tuesday. So when people express legitimate gripes on our website I just cannot find it in me to come unglued.
And frankly neither does admin obviously.
As I said I worked for and with them for 3 years. And it was my experience that they had a great deal of patience (sometimes too much) for posters that were critical of President Obama and far less patience for posters that follow other posters around the board (not you) starting shit over differences of opinion.
Deal is, if they think someone is over the line, you will know it.
1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)the words say what they say.
But I will not pursue this further ... doing so is just distracting from my initial point, acknowledging Scuba, and expressing my appreciation for Scuba's approach.
ETA: Upon reflection ... I should have just ignored Woo's comment.
Puglover
(16,380 posts)What I think matters little around here.
Have a nice day! 
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)
PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts) 1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)And, despite our frequent disagreements, I think DU is the better because of Scuba.
840high
(17,196 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)Something I can agree with you on.
Blue Owl
(50,555 posts)