This is not a trick or troll question - I really want to know

[nadine_mn]

Why do Democrats, Progressives, and in this question, DUers in particular, find it necessary to get so nasty during primary season towards the other Democratic candidate?

It is not just this season of Hillary vs Bernie, it happens every election cycle. The same nasty comments ["Not a REAL Democrat" "Corporate Shill" etc] directed towards the candidates, the same nasty insults hurled at supporters and the same wringing of hands about loss of civility.

Very few logical arguments are presented - it is just a slur of name calling. Each side complains the other side started it or is nastier. I will be honest, I was a Hillary supporter over Obama. But come election time I voted for Obama - both times. Because whatever reservations I may have had, they paled in comparison to any Republican. And you bet, there are a lot of times I am super proud that Obama is our president and a few (mercifully few) times I have shook my head. But no candidate is going to be the perfect candidate for me (except...ME!). And to be even more honest, I am a Bernie fan, but dammit I also would love Hillary to be president. I would be happy for different reasons for either, and most importantly any Democrat is better than the GOP.


Has anyone been convinced to change their support of a Democratic candidate because of angry comments directed at them and their choice of candidate?

I know it is just a few vocal people who are getting all fired up, a lot of DUers just kind of ignore it or stay away from DU until primaries are over. And yes there are trolls...but come on, we all know there are some long time DUers who are passionate Democrats that have some switch flipped in them come primary season and the ugly comes out.

I am not calling out anyone, both sides are guilty and not just this time around. And I know there are genuine differences on policy to discuss, that is not what I am talking about.

I really want to hear from those who feel the need to get personal - why? what do you hope to accomplish? are you just angry? do you think you will change their mind?

[PeaceNikki]

1. Isn't GD:P a more appropriate forum for this post?

I still see some of it here in GD, but it's decreased about 95% since that forum was created.

[guillaumeb]

2. Feels like team spirit.

With apologies to Nirvana.

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. I hid GDP after about a week

While I am gleefully enjoying the GOP trainwreck right now, its simply too early to get into our primary nastiness, IMO. Also backing Bernie, BTW.

[Go Vols]

8. Agree

[nadine_mn]

10. I can't even imagine what GOP supporters argue about

who is the trainwreckiest?

[shenmue]

4. Elves

[nadine_mn]

9. lol - makes as much sense as anything else nt

[Lee-Lee]

5. People here are passionate about this

DU isn't like 99.9% of the party. Most Democrats could care less about coming to a discussion forum just about politics.

People passionate enough to do so are, clearly, a minority of the party. As such, people here care more and are more invested in everything- including a favorite candidate.

[cwydro]

6. I don't know either.

I haven't made up my mind, but I'm really amazed at some of the attacks leveled by both sides.

No nasty posts, however, will change my mind one way or the other. Pretty sure most feel the same way.

[PoliticAverse]

7. Much of it is likely people trying to feel better about their own position by demonizing those

that have opposing positions.

[The River]

11. I Only Visit

to read the political cartoons.

[Juicy_Bellows]

12. My two cents.

There is a lot of passion for Bernie and a lot of us feel he is the best candidate to come to the two party system since we've been alive. That kind of feeling is a damn rare thing for a lot of us, so we want our fellow Democrats to come on over and feel the Bern. However, it tends to get ugly when people get snide and snarky. There are people that don't want rational debate and they are present with Hillary, Bernie and to a lesser degree, O'Malley supporters.

The reason it gets personal for some is there is a lot of passion.

The reason it gets personal for others is they are born to troll.

Just my opinion.

Cheers!

[Downwinder]

13. Family fights are vicious.

[olddots]

14. I for one am angry and get personal because this is the net

what we type here is just that = words on a screen that someone may like or dislike ,the physical warm & fuzzy isn't here even when we go overboard with snark and inuendo .Maybe why moderation and middle ground civility is dying is because here we are "screened in "

[Binkie The Clown]

15. It's the Democratic way.

I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.

--Will Rogers

The Democratic "Party" is, in reality, a loose and fairly informal coalition of non-conservatives, each with their own central issues and concerns. The only real unifying principal among Democrats is "We are not conservatives." Beyond that, we are herd of cats, each scrambling in a different direction, and proudly proclaiming "We are not dogs." as if that's enough to define us.

It's curious to note that some of the most important recent progressive developments in this country were not instigated or spearheaded or even sanctioned by the "party". Gay marriage rights, as a single example, was grass roots, not top down "party"-directed. The "party" just came along for the ride after the rank-in-file non-party activists made it a fact. Over and over the "party" takes credit for things that the grass roots progressives actually accomplished. The "party" has no balls, and only jumps on the wagon after the parade becomes a success.