Democratic Underground will NEVER, EVER sell out

[Taverner]

I know this because I know the integrity of Skinner, Elad and EarlG - and these patriots will never sell this site to a megacorp looking to squelch dissent

Here's to the three! SKINNER! ELAD! EARL G!


A toast to the most!

:toast:

[Kokonoe]

1. Ohh Yeah!

For Spelling

[Hutzpa]

2. Let me be the second to say I second that

:toast:

:kick:

[Taverner]

3. There has to be some way to send them beer....

I'm all for the idea of beer for DU founders!

[MilesColtrane]

27. They are indeed due beer and travel money.

[Crystal Clarity]

33. LOL!

:rofl:

[blondeatlast]

40. You win both the internets--and the realm of metaphysical whatevers. nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Hear hear!

:toast:

[unkachuck]

5. I don't know....everyone has a price....n/t

[Taverner]

6. Yes but do three people have a price?

That complicates things, as does Democracy

[Codeine]

25. Of course they do.

Silly to believe otherwise.

[Ghost in the Machine]

37. Didn't HuffPo sell for 300 MILLION?

If you think the owners of this site wouldn't sell it and pocket a cool 100 million each, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. Then again, I can't speak for Skinner, Elad and EarlG and I don't think you should, either.

[closeupready]

42. I agree. Would be sad if they did, but I would understand.

Heck, I almost think they'd be crazy not to do so.

[Ghost in the Machine]

47. I would completely understand if they did, too...

Who could pass up financial security for the rest of their lives, as well as the lives of their children and grandchildren? I know Skinner has a family with very young children, not sure about the others, though. Of course they would be crazy not to take the offer.

Peace,

Ghost

[HuckleB]

7. True.

To some extent, anyway.

Still, there are never any guarantees.

[Taverner]

8. After what the founders did to realign DU with the changing political winds

Shows democracy in action

Selling to AOL, Knight Ridder or the Heritage Foundation is not democracy in action

Hence my statement

[HuckleB]

11. I'm not buying any realignment at this point.

I'm seeing a lot of HuffPo style spamming at DU, and if that isn't addressed... well, what's the point?

[Taverner]

12. I know how to reject the SPAM

Honestly, it would be a nice feature to have a filter for that kind of crap

[Kaleva]

9. I wouldn't fault them if they did.

[Taverner]

10. Well its in their right - but they've shown integrity in the past

Which leads me to think the 'democratic' isn't just a party label, but a cause that is common in the open-source movement. We need open-source politics and policy personally.

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. Democratic Underground LLC is a business.

I don't know what they'll do. Neither do you.

In fact, I've been in business long enough to know that they don't even know. A business reacts to changing business conditions.

I appreciate the entity they've created, but it's theirs to do with as they see fit.

I think I have integrity too but if someone waved $315 million in front of me to purchase a business I built... :hi:

[Taverner]

15. Things happen

I would be bought and sold if it were just a personal thing

But if it affected others - things get different

Sure I might sell out

I might not

Who's to say?

None of us really know, but I am betting on DU's conscience

[Kokonoe]

23. Exactly the point the poster is making.

The offers will come, but it must be more than enough, to offset.

sort of like K. O. is rubbing the moneyed faces in dirt right now.

[Control-Z]

26. Exactly.

And I would expect them to make decisions that would most benefit their families and future.

[Bonobo]

35. Correct. Skinner et al. owes nothing to anyone.

Everything we enjoy here and have contributed to, they have ALREADY paid back in the form of services.

If they sold DU for millions, I, for one, would begrudge them nothing.

[sasha031]

14. I love DU

it's the best their is:toast:

[Lucian]

16. If the price was right they would.

Everybody sells out eventually.

If I owned this website, and someone offered me $100+ million for it, I'd take it, and I'm sure you would too.

[Taverner]

18. Not always

Sometimes, people make an ethical decision, despite it being very good financially.

Yes, I'd crumble like a card on a bed of rocks.

You might too.

But I don't see the three unanimously agreeing to sell to AOL, Haliburton or KBR...

[Lucian]

20. If the price was right, they would.

You can't tell me three guys wouldn't accept, let's say, $250 million for this site.

Money trumps ethics and values.

[johnroshan]

21. Hope is a beautiful thing.

" Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in. " ~~ Hub (Secondhand Lions)

[Lucian]

24. The world is cold and ugly.

Living with rose colored glasses on is a huge mistake. It'll lead to nothing but disappointment.

[blondeatlast]

41. Very possible they'd take the money and start another such site.

They could invest a hefty chunk of it and still run this place.

[DeSwiss]

17. K&R n/t

[mopinko]

19. i was hoping they would.

i'm thinking a megacorp would have to pay the moderators.
;-p

[leftstreet]

22. LOL and 500+ DUers request moderator application forms

:toast:

[mopinko]

51. yeah, but how many would pass the drug test.

that's the question.
they'd probably lock up our drinks cabinet, too.

[xfundy]

28. I wonder, did you even question?

This post strikes me as odd. DU's stated goals are consistent with those of humanity, it's not a "brand,' it's reality. Not to pee on a birthday cake, but this is no "game" or money generator. It's real, not a game of 'us' vs them'. The whole planet is at stake..

[earth mom]

29. Do you know the owners of DU personally? Because if not, how are you sure that they haven't already

sold out?

After the shit I've witnessed the past 10 years in this country, my question is: Who isn't a sell out?

Many famous lefties have let us all down, that at this point, I am leery of most if not all of them.

Who can we lefties REALLY count on anymore? That's the real question we all should be asking.

[LawnKorn]

30. K&R

[Le Taz Hot]

31. I'm not convinced.

I'll say no more.

[HEyHEY]

32. I'm noticing a distinct lack of Admin presence here......

[dbmk]

43. What would any statement of theirs change?

If you think they would sell, given the right amount of money, then a statement saying they would not would mean nothing.

If you think they would never sell, then a statement supporting that would be needless.

[Paka]

34. I'm new here,

but I feel confident you are right. Thanks for the toast! :toast:

[madrchsod]

36. who would buy this zoo?

[dbmk]

45. I don't know. It seems rather cheap to run

The animals mostly feed on each other.

[emulatorloo]

50. LOL n/t

[eShirl]

38. I would hope if they ever got a sweet offer like 300+ million they would take it.

Seriously.

We'd be alright, the internet is flexible enough to handle mass migrations and/or creation of new hangouts.

[mmonk]

39. Not even for a billion trillion dollars?

;-)

[quinnox]

44. I wouldn't blame them if they got a huge offer

I know I couldn't turn down millions, so I can't blame them if it ever came to that.

[muriel_volestrangler]

46. What makes you think any megacorp would ever want to buy us?

I don't think DU is a money-making machine. Does anyone? We contribute to quarterly fund-drives because we think it's needed to keep DU going. No-one would if the owners weren't people we talk to and trust, and who aren't rich businessmen running the thing purely for profit.

And, as admin frequently says, DU really is the membership - we do all the content, and the volunteer mods keep the peace. Anyone looking at the site would know that would stop the moment the owners became a corporation at a distance.

Plus, you'd have to wonder about anyone who'd want to own our opinions ...

[SidDithers]

48. If Skinner, Elad and EarlG are offered millions for the site...

They should take it in a heartbeat. They deserve it after putting up with our shit for the last 10 years.

Sid

[Skidmore]

49. Grovelbot may sell out though.

[muriel_volestrangler]

52. Maybe Grovelbot will buy out Skinner!

I, for one, welcome our new mechanised overlord.