Is the fund drive tanking at DU because of the lack standards?

[trumad]

trolls....trolls....trolls...... are members fed up at what this site has become?

[onehandle]

1. mmm...maybe. nt

[Luminous Animal]

2. I'm relunctant to donate....

on a website filled with advertising. If the process were more transparent, i.e., democratic, and a real need was shown, perhaps I'd be more forthcoming.

[cynatnite]

3. The ads disappear for those who donate to DU n/t

[Luminous Animal]

20. Ah... then it's extortion!

I'm kidding somewhat. But, even if the ads disappear for those who donate, what evidence do we have that the site even needs donations? Presumably the Admins are making a good living and I don't begrudge them of that but when I donate to any "cause" I'd like some evidence that my "pennies a day" are actually needed and being put to necessary use.

[cynatnite]

26. If you find the site of value and worthy of donating...

then do it. That's how I see it. This is the only one I've ever believed was worth spending a few bucks on. It's not a lot since money is very tight for us.

Given how much traffic DU has and everything else that's offered here I have no doubt it costs quite a bit to keep this place running. I don't mind paying.

[Selatius]

4. It's why I avoid the Primaries forum. It's like Thunderdome in there.

They just slug it out in there. "Two men enter. One man leaves."

[countingbluecars]

5. Could be.

I am tired of the "fuck you" threads. There was one tonight where even a moderator joined in.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. I consider...

GDP the boil that hangs off the butt of DU. I don't much like pus-filled things, so I ignore it.

I like it a lot better when Dems and Progressives remember what the real issues are and work together to address them. Not fighting in forums.

Sheesh.

[Faygo Kid]

6. This a source of dialogue and disagreement. We don't need no stinking standards.

Standards? Standards! We don't need no stinking standards.



This is the Internet, and I for one appreciate DU every day.

(Could use more exercise instead of hanging out here, but oh well.)

[uppityperson]

7. For me, money is very tight, bills are high.

If someone would pay my medical bills (about $500) I'd donate. As it is, I can't now, and get to keep my star for a bit, allowing me to search and turn off ads. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

[OhioChick]

13. I hear you...

I'm knee deep in medical bills, myself. I'll donate the next time.

[rusty quoin]

8. Maybe try a bake sale.

Just kidding. I cannot understand with this major election that donations would be down. I like DU. I'll give more, but not right now.

[DJ13]

9. IF I could afford it I would (Im on a fixed income)

Its only been going on a day+, so being over half way already doesnt sound that bad to me.

[MrModerate]

11. I skipped donating the last couple of times . . .

But ponied up this time, primarily (weak pun intended) because I see the end of the tunnel. The level of vitriol around here lately has been a real turnoff and since I'm not nearly as serious-minded as a lot of posters, my inclination is to just stay away when I see progressives circling up to fling turds at one another.

Since it now looks like Obama's going to take it and the Clinton supporters are beginning to accept that (fair disclosure: I'd prefer Clinton as the nominee myself), I'm looking forward to some serious troglodyte trashing when the dem primaries are resolved.

Lest we forget, there are still 'Licans out there and they want to fuck the planet and cornhole us personally no less intensely than they did when they were riding high.

[whistle]

12. I'll send my donation in later

[razors edge]

14. It'll get back to normal

sometime in February.

[madrchsod]

15. i ain`t got no money...

i`z just a poor blue collar unemployed white guy...

[angrycarpenter]

16. If most are like me

I have to get this months bills paid before I donate to anything. A year ago I was doing so much better. Nothing has changed except the cost of everything. I have only gone to GDP twice and then put it on ignore, I even avoid the greatest page because threads are there. Even so I will donate friday and continue calling the best forum on the net home.

[silverlib]

17. Tanking? Lack of standards?

It is Wednesday evening and DU is at half their goal. This is not tanking. If my memory serves me right, DU is just about the same stage of donations as any other campaign on a Wednesday.

I love this place - my star is good until November. I may not be able to do anything this time, but it's not because DU is tanking. I have hidden GDP and I'm quite happy that this site allows me the option. I can't say enough about the incredible job the admins have done running this site through thick and thin and trolls.

[Arugula Latte]

18. I think this pace is about par for the course, n'est ce pas?

[Kingofalldems]

19. I've also hesitated this time

Due to long time disrupters mainly. But I will be donating by the end of the week.

[sandnsea]

21. I donated in February

I love all the hearts. I usually only donate once a year. Maybe the success of the Feb fundraising is hurting this one. Last year I donated during the second quarter and didn't do the hearts.

[Ghost in the Machine]

22. How could anyone consider it tanking? It's over half way in 3 days, with 4 days left to go

It seems pretty normal to me..

Relax a little bit, all is well...

PEACE!

Ghost

[tom_paine]

23. Two reasons: Primary season & shitty economy, not what you speculate, I think.

Skinner, I believe, posted something about this somewhere how the 2004 primary-time fund drive waqs the worst ever.

Because many DUers are donating money to campaigns and thus have less remaining for DU. In truth, much as DU is a fantastic place, that's only proper during a pResidential "election" year.

Add to that the fact that the economy, especially if you strip away the Bushie Phony Number and Lies, is probably the worst it's been since 1974, or perhaps 1940. There's really no way to tell considering the Bushie numbers are as false as Soviet numbers.

DU has always been like this, by and large. Oh there are seasonal fluctuations, sometimes a little better, sometimes a little worse. Primary season is always a mad flamefest.

So I would have to disagree with you, ol' buddy. It is probably less, much less, of what you speculate and more of what I speculate, or perhaps other reasons neither of us have mentioned.

"Wile E. Coyote, you genius! You've done it again!"
--Wile E. Coyote

[Jamastiene]

24. Well...

essentially... yes. It is deplorable.

[Quantess]

25. Just stay away from GD-P and everything will be fine.

And better yet, hide GD-P threads from the Greatest Page, so you can separate the wheat from the chaff.

Fully 75% of the trolls are in GD-P.

[Perry Logan]

27. It's the Clinton-haters. They make visiting DU feel like having a root canal.

No thread is safe. The Clinton-haters insert nasty little comments into humorous threads, Republican-bashing threads--all threads. Heaven forbid we should feel even a moment of unity.

I can't imagine why this brilliant strategy failed. Who would have thought making people miserable would drive them away from DU?

[panzerfaust]

29. NO! It is the Obama Haters, NO NO!! It's The Damn

...

We have met the enemy, and he is us.
Pogo

[panzerfaust]

28. ad hominem

Virtually every thread degenerates into puerile, ad hominem attacks on those who post.

IF DU would more reliably toss the REPEAT offenders (everyone, myself included, do succumb to the web's anonymity and make the occasional ab irato remark) who make angry, hurtful, and insulting remarks - I would start donating again.

Even so, my partner still donates (and reads), but she has not felt comfortable posting for years, because of the insults that follow. Now if I could just use her star, I could look like a good guy...