Can I Just Say a Big Thank You to Democratic Underground?

[senseandsensibility]

During the 2000 election, I had not discovered DU. I was a cable news junkie, however, and watched CNN and CNBC for several hours a day, devouring any election coverage I could find. I was extremely pro Gore, but did not expect the news to reflect my beliefs. I just wanted it to be fair. As that horrible election season dragged on, I began to realize how one-sided the coverage was, and how easy the media was being on Dubya, a person I barely knew. He sounded exceedingly stupid whenever he opened his mouth, but the press never called him on it. His positions on the issues, such as giving huge tax cute to the rich, made no sense mathematically or morally. He was caught lying about his ciminal record for drunk driving. None of it mattered. Gore, on the other hand, was nit-picked to death for such signicicant issues as "earth tone" clothes, and not providing good enough food to the press corps. Sometimes I felt like I was going insane as I watched famous "journalists" I had previously respected think up weaker and weaker excuses for why * couldn't speak in complete sentences, or explain his obviously misguided plans for the country. Because I hadn't discovered DU, I suffered mostly in silence.

What a difference 4 years make! I rarely watch cable news anymore. I get wonderful news about this election, both straight news, and editorials from this site. I get the facts. I can discuss the issues in real time with people that think, and that are not blinded by special interests. The humor on DU helps relieve what is still a stressful election process, no matter how much you enjoy politics. This election is shaping up much differently than the one in 2000. Let's hope that's true on November 2 as well. Thank you to EVERYONE on this board for saving my sanity, and allowing me to enjoy politics again!:yourock:

[iconoclastic cat]

1. We love you, too!

:headbang:

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bush was AWOL]

24. Adios!

Loser!

[Jackpine Radical]

26. Sorry to see that you're not

going to be around here long enough to learn anything.

Go Cheney yourself.

[NMDemDist2]

2. agreed

DU ROCKS!!

[jean]

3. Thank you for your words - I feel exactly the same

[libhill]

4. And if Shrub is re-selected -

I'll see ya in Canada ---

[redqueen]

5. Yes, thank you DU!

:thumbsup:

[vetwife]

25. DU and all DU folks..You do more than you realize !

You even save lives and reach out to the hopeless, helpless and forgotten who feel trapped. Thank You. And let us not forget to support this site !

[Lavender Brown]

6. DU is a great place!

:toast:

[faithnotgreed]

7. amen!

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[iconoclastic cat]

28. Ooo! A hater! Can I touch you?

Eeew! Squishy!

[Trailrider1951]

8. Yeah, me too, add my name to the list

Thank U DU. U let me know I wasn't crazy, or alone.
:kick:

[rwork]

9. That almost mirrors

my feelings.I was never a political person until the 2000 Florida recount*.I promise my self I will never turn my back on politics again. We can all see the deadly results, with the loss of 880 of our young men and women. Good clear explanation of how you feel. Ronw

[senseandsensibility]

15. I'm glad you mentioned that

we can't turn out backs on what's happening. I may have sunk back into political apathy after 2000 if not for DU. Sometimes I wonder if that's one of their goals; appeal to the wingers and shore up that vote, but alienate progressives and depress their turnout. We can't let that happen. Democratic Underground has a huge role in this election, and we need to make sure that more people know about it.:thumbsup:

[SW FL Dem]

10. Wonderful post

I went through the same thing. I watched CNN endlessly and dared to enter AOL chat rooms (yikes). During and after the recount, I was glued to my computer and eventually found a friendly group on Yahoo. It started out with a small group of people bitching about the recount, led to a superbowl flyover protest in Tampa and eventually became CLG. A small group of us even organized an effort to send flowers to Tipper after the USSCT handed the election to Shrub. I haven't been part of those groups for years now, but I will never forget how much they helped me deal with my anger and frustration over the 2000 selection. I discovered DU after I attended the FL Dem convention and have become addicted. Thanks guys for giving me a place where I don't have to feel alone.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[iconoclastic cat]

31. (Sigh.) Listen, d guy, if you are capable of relaxing for a second:

And now you're banned. Oh, well.

[libhill]

33. Dag nab it

lost a chance to trash another Repubican piece of maggot infested road kill - go back to freeperland you stupid redneck inbred fuck. OK, go ahead and ban me - I had to get it out of my system. I can outhate repukes any goddam day of the week. Thank ya, and goodbye.

[Hoping4Change]

11. There must be something in the air today cuz I was thinking

the very same thing. Even though I'm a Canuck I am very interested in what happens down there. By chance I just stumbled across DU this Spring and I'm loving it. DU continually reaffirms my belief in the America I have long admired but don't get to see in the mainstream press.

In 2000 I was glued to my computer but relied on mainstream news sources. What a maroon I was not to search for progressive news sites. DU reveals a reality that isn't presented in the mainstream media. DU and its DUers rock.:toast:

[Political_Junkie]

12. ditto

n/t

[senseandsensibility]

13. There may be people

out there right now feeling the same way about THIS election, people that don't know about DU. We should all get the word out, and put Democratic Underground stickers on our cars. Glad to hear that I'm not alone in feeling this way.:bounce:

[Hoping4Change]

14. You are so right about getting the word out. Perhaps DU admin

should contact The Daily Show. What other sites like DU have artists like mopaul and donkman (to name but two) not to mention the stream of information and debate?

[Arugula Latte]

16. I've had a similar experience -- Thank You All!

What would I do without DU?

We wouldn't know things MONTHS before the lame-ass press gets around to dribbling out a watered-down version of Bush & Co.'s multiple fuck-ups.

[shance]

17. Thank you as well S&S*

I enjoy your posts.

[Longhorn]

18. From what I understand, there was no DU to discover in 2000!

Sounds like DU sprang from the same anger and frustration that we were all experiencing in what felt like isolation! But it turns out, we weren't alone!

Thanks for putting into words my sentiments as well! :toast:

[calimary]

19. Truly. DU is my oasis.

Sometimes, during the really dour days, it's been EXTREMELY helpful to have this place to turn to.

[Booster]

22. DU has allowed me to finally be smarter

and more up to date on news than all my friends and coworkers. Thanks DU.

[welshTerrier2]

27. nice post ... great typo !!

i think in making the typo you made, you've coined a wonderful new phrase ...

you wrote: huge tax cute to the rich

and that's exactly what it was ... a tax cute!! bush likes to keep saying that his "tax cute" belongs to the people "because it's your money" ... great ... his little "tax cute" has helped cause the largest budget deficit in the history of the country ...

the sense of community you conveyed about DU was right on the money ... I came to DU a lone, sufferer in political crisis and have become an energized warrior ... I thank all DU'ers for their knowledge, their energy and their commitment ...

[iconoclastic cat]

30. That should be a band: Tax Cute

But it should be stated in the imperative, as a command.

[senseandsensibility]

34. LOL

Too bad it's too late to edit; my fingers go faster than my brain most of the time! Looks like I missed some action with the deleted posts.

[WilliamPitt]

29. Indeed

:toast:

[cally]

32. I felt like I was the only one in America who was obsessed by the

theft of the election. Everyone told me to get over it. Then I found DU and realized I was not alone. Others were as angry, scared, energized, and focused as I was. Thank you all. You have made me a better person.

[UrbScotty]

35. Right on!

:toast: to all of DU!

[merh]

36. Ditto - thanks to DU and all DUer's

the humor on this board is wonderful. The quick wit, the intelligent posts, the simple lessons of humanity and humility, the debates and the dissent.

DU is so much fun to play on - what a wonderful playground.
Thank you one and all.

And thank you S&S for your post.

:yourock:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

37. welcome and i know exactly what you're saying...ditto here

[tkmorris]

38. Yes indeed. Thanks Skinner and EarlG

I've nothing to add really, the original post says it all. I'm just wondering though, did anyone really imagine how successful DU would become back in those early days? I sure didn't. What an amazing community we have here.

:yourock:

[onecitizen]

39. Me too! Me too! Me too!

:-)

[RetroLounge]

40. Dare I say, Ditto...

THanks for your post. Cheney Cable news, Hello DU!

RL

[soleft]

41. DU severely cut down on my medication and therapy bills

:hippie:

[Wind Dancer]

42. Couldn't agree more!

It's the best place for like-minded folks to gather, discuss, vent and research. Thanks for all your great posts, s&s, and to all DUer's!!!!!

:toast:

[senseandsensibility]

43. You're welcome,

and:kick: