If We Policed The Assholes In Our Ranks This Might Be A Better Board

[DemocratSinceBirth]

If a Clinton supporter called bullshit on an attack dog Obama basher and a Obama supporter called bullshit on an overzealous Clinton basher we might have a more constructive dialogue...

Every time I make one of these posts it becomes about me...I have been an asshole at times, in defense of Hillary Clinton...I admit it but I have tried not to start gloating threads or bashing theads except for my lapse during the Reagan brouhaha...

They are both Democrats ...

[truebrit71]

1. One of them almost in name only...

...

[MADem]

6. Just because Obama is wired into the coal industry, he's still a Democrat.

So you shouldn't say such things about him.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Ha

How about clean coal?

They say there's more coal in the U S than there is oil in the Middle East...

[DS1]

16. clean coal is a farce

just as bad as "clear skies initiative"

[TornadoTN]

25. Not entirely true but close

It's not perfect by any stretch and I wouldn't call "clean coal" today anything similar to clean, but there's a lot of people in the field and companies that are working on perfecting the cleaning of coal and lessening its environmental impact. It won't solve all of the negatives with coal, but until we develop sustainable, green energy that is affordable to all, it will play a crucial role in getting to point.

Otherwise, I am in agreement that today's term "clean coal" is anything but clean.

[DS1]

32. there's also the destruction to entire mountains to get the coal out of the ground

and clean will go nowhere until there's a government ready to enforce it.

[TornadoTN]

37. Certainly agree again

Mountaintop removal is a serious issue, once of which I personally oppose. I've even said as much to demonstrators outside of coal related functions. I've even taken the opportunity to go across to the protesters and let them know that not all of us associated with the industry agree with this practice, which they appreciate.

There's a lot of problems with coal but it also provides a good medium for advancement of other green resources that could take its place . But in the interim, it offers a viable source of energy if our government pushes true and sensible "clean" initiatives and companies actually follow through. We'll see, but I am optimistic after a couple years of being less than convinced that real change in the industry would be possible.

[TornadoTN]

20. I am in the Coal Industry and I'm a Democrat

What does that make me? Now before you go calling me a sellout or whatever clever little name you have, realize that I advocate moving away from fossil fuels and onto green, renewable energy. It's going to take leaders to help guide companies (especially those that rely on coal) onto this track for the future.

Also, there is a lot of potential and excellent research on "Clean" Coal tech that takes it well beyond where it is now (hence the quotations around the word clean because its not very "clean" at this point). But we still need to push beyond that but in the mean time coal plays a significant role in not only our energy policy but the road to green energy.

[MADem]

24. Well, there ya go. Like I said, just because he's wired into that industry doesn't

make him a Republican, or a DINO.

And I meant what I said.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. I Don't Get It

~

[truebrit71]

14. One of them is a Democrat the other is Hillary Clinton...

..

[Marrah_G]

21. That is just the pathetic and nasty crap the OP is talking about. - They are both Democrats

[truebrit71]

40. Only one is "more" a Democrat than the other one...you know...less "owned"...

..by corporate interests like, oh I don't know, NEWS CORP for example...

[bluedawg12]

42. Really?

As of April 2007 guess who got this?

UBS, the second largest bank in Europe, has given over $165,000 to...

The Exelon corporation, which is the nation’s largest nuclear plant operator, has donated almost $160,000...

The investment Goliath, Goldman Sachs, has also fattened the pockets of ...with over $143,000.

Citigroup has given well over $50,000 with

Morgan Stanley close behind at $40,000.

Kirkland & Ellis, the conservative law firm that worked for the Democrats to limit ballot access of Ralph Nader’s campaign in 2004, ...have given to... campaign over $70,000.

[truebrit71]

45. ...and which one of the candidates spouses pardoned Marc Rich?

..Which one is in bed with Fixed Noise, and has no problem taking money from foreigners with fragile grasps on US laws?

[bluedawg12]

46. Gotta agree there- that was a strange decision.

Didn't know that MR is part of the faux noose axis of weevils.

[tekisui]

2. Here's to the Democrats!

We have two fine, historical Candidates. They have differences, but they are of degree, not of kind.

I would appreciate thoughtful, truthful, respected debate as we make Our decisions.

[LeftCoast]

3. I originally came to DU because I couldn't escape the anti-Dem rhetoric on any other board

Now that's ruined for me here too.

:(

[incapsulated]

4. I used to, I don't anymore

My gloves are off.

This is so much worse than 2004, I had VERY little difficulty keeping myself under control and refraining from attacking other candidates, I focused on defending my own.

Now that seems like a pointless gesture.

[featherman]

5. You're obviously not on my ignore list so you've likely remained

courteous and polite in your strong advocacy. I appreciate that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. I'm A Voracious Counter Puncher

I rarely start bashing threads and rarely join in but it's hard not score cheap points when you're candidate is getting bashed...

[incapsulated]

12. I think the only one I started was to update a story

About Clinton and the waitress.

I don't start threads.

I'm not above getting my digs in on them, though.

I really don't care anymore, this forum couldn't get any more hostile no matter what I do.

[LittleClarkie]

I alert every time I see something not cool

and I don't care who the offender supports.

but the mods can only move so fast.

[MediaBabe]

15. Can you explain to me about Alerts?

I'm new here and I wasn't really surprised to see little more than hatred and bile. That's what most political discussion boards are composed of. But I read people saying it wasn't always this way. It would be so nice if this was true. But not so nice if the change to a nasty hate filled board was to allow the bilge against Clinton.

So what are alerts? Can anybody do them? Then what happens? Do you get a reputation for being a troublemaker if you alert too much. Would that get a person ejected from the group?

[LittleClarkie]

19. You should be able to. When you're reading a post, look in the bottom left corner

Do you see the word "alert" there? Click on it. You should get an empty box where you can type your reason for thinking the post should be deleted. Usually for me it's that the post is a call out of a fellow DUer or is uncivil in some way.

Hope that helps.

[yardwork]

26. Alerts are an awesome tool.

DU is moderated by a team of volunteers. Their job is to keep the board civil. The best way to the notify the mods if you see a post that breaks DU rules is to push the little "alert" button in the offending post. You can attach an email message to the mods with it. Keep the message brief.

The mods review all alerts and decide, by consensus, how to handle them. You won't get a reputation as a trouble-maker for using the alert button unless you really, really abuse the system. The poster you alert on will never know that you did so. Your alert will never automatically get anybody ejected from the group. Only mods can make that determination, and they use the poster's entire posting history to help make that decision, and it has to be a consensus decision.

Please alert when you see something wrong. It is an essential tool for keeping the board civil.

[rodeodance]

8. With the help others, we got 3 threads shut down last evening for posters calling

sen. clinton a B***.

proud of it.

others may have alerted also

[Occam Bandage]

23. No particular honor in

shutting down nasty threads attacking your candidate. We're talking about protecting the other side from nastiness.

[rodeodance]

35. I will help to shut down ANY post that calls

Sen. clinton a B***

got that!!

and an HONOR it is.

[Occam Bandage]

38. Again, defending your candidate is expected. OP is calling on you to defend Obama from slime,

and on me to defend Clinton from slime.

[rodeodance]

43. I promise that if someone calls obama

a B**** I will call them out on it.

[Occam Bandage]

44. ...

:eyes:

[oasis]

29. Good work.

[featherman]

31. Guess I missed that mess... or those people were already on ignore

Hard to say. A lot of trouble making trolls posing as one thing and another here

[rodeodance]

36. not in this case--as some had

very familiar screen names.

[AtomicKitten]

11. Some Democrats are more democratic than others.

[rodeodance]

13. Love your honestly. I think I lapsed with

being called out for race-baiting---that word is tossed out a zillion times over and over for no purpose other than to silence people.

[Marrah_G]

17. It's impossible to police annonymous people when there are no consequences for their actions

Some people get off, literally, on starting fights and behaving like assholes online. They would never dare it in the real world, but on here they can act like the worlds biggest jerkoff and if they can manage to just barely keep from crossing the lines then they won't be kicked.

The only way to deal with this is if that majority of DU gets together and says "We will all ignore anyone posting this nasty divisive shit that is hurting DU and our Party"

[penguin7]

22. I bash Edwards every chance I get in the real world.

And in the real world just like this board it is only the lawyers that support him.

[yardwork]

27. That's blatantly false.

[Hoof Hearted]

48. Thank you for my law degree. Now I can buy that second home in Estes Park.

Awesome.

[MonkeyFunk]

30. Yep

that's exactly the problem.

there are no consequences to being a dick, no reward for behaving. The powers that be don't give a shit anymore, as long as the donor $$ comes in, I guess.

[tekisui]

39. I think the drama is encouraged.

It gets people worked up and looking for the next ridiculous shit to come out.

[cjmastaw]

51. Wanna bet?

I know two people who got their accounts deleted. Including one of your good "buddies"

[yardwork]

18. Oh, I agree. Actually, plenty of posters do this.

I've posted numerous repudiations of stupid accusations against Obama. I did the same for Hillary even before I decided to support her.

We need to remember that the Democratic Party is not about calling people "bitches," making nasty comments about people's names, perpetuating lies and rumors about Democratic candidates, or any of the other garbage that sometimes masquerades as discussion here.

In fact, I've concluded that any poster encouraging that kind of crap is probably going to vote Republican in the general election.

[Kajsa]

33. You're right, Yardwork.

I don't think they are Democrats or progressives.

[Kajsa]

28. You are no where near

the level of offensiveness and obnoxious behavior as a certain
" Democrat" on the Edwards dropping out thread.

I've alerted the mods- I hope they do something.

[Jed Dilligan]

34. Eh, it happens all the time

Doesn't seem to change much.

[karlrschneider]

41. Well first we will need a crack investigator...

:P

[Hoof Hearted]

47. I've started doing just that. There's a couple of Hillary "supporters" I would personally TS myself

if I could. Unhelpful, hateful, ugly shit, and I would love to see it stopped so I'm going to try to be more active in alerting on them and calling out bad, useless behavior.

[TheDeathadder]

49. It would be awesome

now that it really is just Obama and Clinton if we can all take the higher ground and both sides accept CLinton and Obama as true Democrats. Let's debate the issues and the contrast of records without resorting to names and falsehoods and character assassinations.

We can get really heated in our debates of the two candidates while still maintaining the higher ground. There's plenty to debate on between these two as far a records go without getting who's the bigger liar or greater evil.

[cjmastaw]

50. They do...

they delete accounts all the time, but they can't keep people from signing back up.