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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI just realized how long some of us have been doing this s*t.
For me, it began when I saw the squad of trained robo-blondes arrive on cable news to attack Bill Clinton for consensual sex. (He hadn't lied about it yet.) The blondes were dispatched by Richard Mellon Scaife. They had talking points and boob jobs. And then men (not blonde, no boob jobs, but with the talking points) arrived to assist. We saw an organized propagandized attack weaponized.
What year was that? 1998?
And then came the frantic effort of fellow netizens to break the story of George W. Bush*'s AWOL. Lord, that was quite an effort by many people. Karl Rove foiled it on the Friday before election by leaking W's DUI story to a FOX affiliate and blowing out of the water the AWOL story just as Senator Bob Kerrey was about to hold a press conference to ask W to explain his absence from his post during wartime. !!
Then came Bush v. Gore. Oy.
And 9/11.
And the rigged election of 2004.
The attacks on Obama.
The 2016 election. 'Nuff said.
And here we are. Still at it. Not at 2400 bpm. But with Russians. And Republicans who are open traitors.
That's a freaking twenty years!
Stuart G
(38,428 posts)I recall mentioning about "a break in at the Watergate" to one of the doors I knocked on and talked to someone. He, (I do remember that), slammed the door in my face and said nothing.
Hold it...that was 46 years ago.... ...
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)I was thinking of Internet fighting. But you are right. Dems have been fighting forever.
The Blue Flower
(5,442 posts)The termites have been laying seige to government of, by, and for the people forever.
Mike Rows His Boat
(389 posts)And later, how they reacted to being called deplorables.
She was right then, and right again.
Hugin
(33,148 posts)Speeding, of course. They are incapable of following any of the laws the rest of us abide by... I suppose they are somehow above it.
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)... to "Get out of Cheney's House!!" and banging on pots outside the residence? And calling him a Sore Loserman
blm
(113,063 posts)and fellow citizen.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)The repeal of the fairness doctrine and the rise of Cable News (with the need to fill a 24/7 news cycle) in the 1980's are more likely the starting points.
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)Funded deeply.
htuttle
(23,738 posts)Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)Same
sinkingfeeling
(51,457 posts)drmeow
(5,018 posts)The way I see it, the country has been in a coma for a while. The right wing started beating on it with the assassination of Kennedy and sucker punched it with Reagan. Under Bill Clinton it continued to be smacked around but not as hard. Then GWB and Cheney knocked it out into a coma. Obama has managed to keep it alive and even gotten it some good medical care but it is still in a coma.
Interestingly, I think Trump might have jolted it out of the coma but its still fighting for its life.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)of 1968 Democratic Convention.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)Last edited Sun Aug 12, 2018, 10:54 PM - Edit history (2)
I quit that name at post 10000 because Skinner didn't offer name change amnesty, so I've had this handle since 2012 or 13. (on edit - 2014 - so I lose track of time)
I've seen many posters come, go, come back again, etc. A few went to the dark side (JPR, CC).I currently find myself feuding with posters I sided with during the 2016 campaign and siding with posters with which I used to feud. Such is the nature of DU.
Richard Mellon Scaife is a name I hadn't thought about in quite a while. I remember Al Franken used to talk about him quite a bit back in Air America days. Now it's the Kochs and Joe Ricketts. Nothing really changes.
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)But his spawn (not biological, mind you) toil on. Kellyanne Conway (Conway is her married name). Ann Coulter. Ms. Ingraham. Barbara who was said to die on 9/11 (I've forgotten her last name.) Barbara Comstock of Virginia. Toensing and diGenova. John Fund. Many nasty people came from Scaife. He funded something called the International Womens Forum that trained and groomed many of the pundits who made themselves available to bookers. I don't remember if Jonah Goldberg was one of his. Or Drudge.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)Speaking of doing this for a while...
My name is David Allen, and I am the lead administrator of Democratic Underground. Like the vast majority of people here on DU, I was surprised and dismayed to learn of your resignation as the public face of the anti-war movement. Even more upsetting to me is the fact that apparently a post here on my website was one of the reasons for your decision.
I am going to try to keep this note relatively brief. I cannot match the eloquence of your public statement, or the eloquence of the many people on Democratic Underground and elsewhere who have asked you to reconsider. My intent is merely to add my voice to the huge chorus of people who believe you are a vital voice in the anti-war movement. As the administrator of Democratic Underground I would like the opportunity to provide a little bit of context with regard the offending post referenced in your resignation letter. Having read your statement, I know that the post here on DU was not the only reason you made the decision you did, but it seems that that post may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
The most important thing I think you should know is this: The vast majority of DU members support you and your efforts to bring an end to this terrible war. That has been true for as long as you have been fighting to end it -- as you know from the many DUers who stood with you at Camp Casey and elsewhere. It remains true today.
I understand how frustrating it is to give your heart and soul to something, and then get personally insulted for it. It is even worse when those insults come from people who are supposed to be our friends and allies. I am not going to provide an excuse or justification for that ugly post -- the person who posted it does not in any way speak for me or most of people on this website. But I am also not going to lie to you and tell you that it was posted by a troll. As far as I can tell, the person who posted it is a legitimate member of this site. (As an aside, the specific language used was not acceptable under the rules of this website, and the post in question was deleted by the moderators for that reason.)
Democratic Underground is not like all those other blogs, where one person (or a small group of people) regularly sets the tone by articulating the "official" point of view. I sometimes share my opinions, but I only do so occasionally, and I don't think of myself as a blogger or pundit. I think of myself as more of a "referee" between different factions. As a discussion forum, we see our mission as different from that of a traditional blog. Rather than requiring that DUers champion a particular viewpoint, I believe our members are best served by permitting a (relatively) wide range of opinion. That includes many viewpoints that I disagree with, and the majority of our members disagree with.
When you made it clear that you were going to challenge Democrats as aggressively as you challenge Republicans, you knew that many Democrats would not support your efforts. Likewise, it was inevitable that some here on DU would not support such efforts. You are a public figure, and as such the rules of this website permit our members to criticize you, just as our rules permit members to criticize Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid. If anything, such criticism shows that you are making a difference. You are being criticized because what you do matters. If your goal is to change the direction of this country, then there are worse things than being criticized by a small number of anonymous keyboard commandos on the Intertubes. Far worse that you be ignored.
If you simply cannot go on any longer, and you feel you must resign, then you have my understanding and my gratitude for everything you have done to fight against this terrible war. You have already done way more than anyone to help bring an end to the war in Iraq. You have earned your place in history, and you have earned the right to step aside if you feel you must.
But if you feel you still have some fight left in you, if you feel that you can still keep going, then I hope that you will do so. The anti-war movement, the country, and the world need people like you. Please do not let the criticisms of a few people get you down.
With heartfelt thanks,
David Allen
Democratic Underground
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)And then there were the wars about the vote scam. I can't remember that woman's name!
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)For the old timers, it'll bring back memories. Some poster names you haven't seen in a long time. I think some, like me, changed handles; many moved on during the Obama years; and some got PPRd or moved over to JPR.
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)I know he headed to JPR but then left that.
He gave me his RL contact info but it is locked behind a forgotten password for me.
Algernon Moncrieff
(5,790 posts)Hopefully, someone else knows.
kentuck
(111,098 posts)Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)Jarqui
(10,126 posts)Protested the Vietnam war
Campaigned for RFK
Streaked against Nixon
Won a 'small' gay rights fight in 1974
A bunch of efforts have been for local issues.
Definitely can't say it has been constant.
I've had periods where I've been disillusioned and needed breaks.
It's been a long roller coaster ride.
I hope it has a better ending than Trump.
Grasswire2
(13,570 posts)Streaked against Nixon! Cool.
Jarqui
(10,126 posts)joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Here since 2002. In it for the long haul.
Raven
(13,891 posts)since the Vietnam War and the "Dump Johnson" movement. Not a lot to show for it, I'm afraid.
a kennedy
(29,669 posts)Initech
(100,079 posts)Why do I have to turn on my TV and see fucking Newt Gingrich and Rudy Guiliani blabbing on Geraldo about how liberals are the devil?