They are going to post here that America is dead, just give up. Repubs lead in the polls. Dems do

[wasupaloopa]

not have a message. And on and on. I read all that here today. They have their army of trolls who reply favorably to what ever the OP says.

Just tell them to fuck off. Their purpose is to discourage turnout.

They wouldn't be doing it if what they said was true.

Don't be a one issue voter. Don't say my way or the highway. Don't stay home. Vote straight Dem tickets come November. We can't stop them unless we have control of the reins. We need to get back in power at all levels of government.

Vote and get out the vote

[Iliyah]

1. Pretty much

[angstlessk]

53. They start off posting stuff in the lounge, getting their numbers up

Whoever STARTS in the lounge....check out what they post outside the lounge!

I am not dissing the lounge, they provide much humor and distractions, but some are using it to get legit!

[beachbum bob]

2. anything that implies that democrats are not on the rise is bullshit, clear and simple

[kimbutgar]

3. You've never Seen the numbers like the womens march against twitler

Even during the teabaggers days of 2009-2010 they didn’t have the numbers.

There are more of us then them.

[Ligyron]

4. way more

[Iliyah]

7. It was like 12 tea baggers with misspelled signs

and the media was all over them. Women's march in the millions, hardly covered nor talked about. Word by mouth is the key.

[DemocracyMouse]

14. Post PICTURES of the Womens March!!! Do it again and again.

[sheshe2]

15. We are so cool...

We can spell as well~

[John Fante]

26. Both women's matches received more coverage than anything the tea party ever did.

Especially the first one.

[druidity33]

55. That's bullshit John...

and maybe you know it. Hard to say. All i can say is the tea party has been touted as an influence in National politics for years... women and the women's march? Not so much.

[John Fante]

56. I was addressing this post:

"It was like 12 tea baggers with misspelled signs and the media was all over them. Women's march in the millions, hardly covered nor talked about."

Sorry THIS is bullshit. I'm anything but a fan of the mainstream media (their election coverage was a disgrace), but let's not overdo it either. The women's marches were seismic cultural events, attended by millions. They received enormous coverage on a global scale. The Tea Party movement didn't get a fraction of this press.

A record number of women are running for office in 2018, so I'd think twice before downplaying the significance of the marches. The Tea Party has been around a lot longer, naturally they've had more impact politically. That won't last.

[struggle4progress]

5. ... O, yes,

I say it plain,
America never was America to me,
And yet I swear this oath --
America will be! ...

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/let-america-be-america-again/

[murielm99]

54. One of my favorite poets.

Thank you for posting.

[democratisphere]

6. We WILL Overcome!

[Hekate]

8. KnR upaloopa

[Tree-Hugger]

9. K&R

[OhNo-Really]

10. How is DU cleansed of bots?

I suspected the "will dems or pugs benefit fro a nuclear pre-emptive strike" was written by an opposition bot.

I was aghast that people engaged with such an irresponsible Title.

I researched those that responded quickly and found most had joined in April or May 2017.

I guess I was inspired to ask the question and fesearch by Politico's article

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/02/04/trump-twitter-russians-release-the-memo-216935

[JHB]

20. Perhaps your bot-detector is calibrated incorrectly?

Speaking as someone who joined about 16.5 years before April or May 2017, and has done several stints as moderator on DU2 and Forum host on the current DU3, I'm a little perplexed as to why one would jump to the conclusion that the thread you refer to was the work of bots, given the worries that Trump, in his neediness for acclaim and approval, might look at the approval ratings of his two Republican predecessors and think war might be just the thing to boost his ratings. And further speculation as to whether that would be the case in the midterms, or backfire on him. The post was sloppily written, but not inherently invalid nor divisive.

I've seen many, many trolls over the past 17 years, but I've also seen more than a few people who had a little too much faith in the accuracy of their "troll-detector sense" because they got some clear hits, but also counted the false positives as "wins". You yourself joined in June 2017, yet you're quick to say who should be kicked off. Should I then just assume that your name should be properly spelled in Cyrilic?

I'll keep my own counsel on who's a bot, thanks.

[OhNo-Really]

34. I had another account for years

and then had two computers in a row crash after the 2012 election. I fought hard in 2012. But I lost my DU password and DU was impossible to enter for years.

I somehow figured out how to get back in last year. Maybe it was a new iPhone.

Due to ilness I had to quit writing for awhile.

Like you I have toiled for years with over 900 well-cited articles on another popular progressive website. Some of my articles even appeared on DU.

I left that website because of troll gangs and bullying that emerged.

Don't want to see that happen here.

DU is a great site for community, gathering the news and getting a pulse on what's happening.

[Blue_true]

41. I first joined DU after the 2010 election disappointment.

Four year later I focused on work and lost my password, I remembered by DU name obviously. Using the reset password feature was next to impossible, I sent mail to Admin and apparently did not get a reply. I would like to post under my original DU handle, but now am comfortable posting under this one. I like how the DU App force me to sign on, hopefully that slow down bots and others that aim to hurt Democrats.

[beachbum bob]

11. any and all threads and post saying democrats are losing ground is pure bullshit

[rpannier]

13. Agreed

But, I think it is important for everybody to keep in mind, his supporters will turn out in high numbers. Anyone who thinks they won't is fooling themselves. I also think he'll get a bump from Republikkans who don't like him, but realize he has been signing very republikkan legislation

Anyone who is banking on depressed turnout by his faction is fooling themselves

[Motownman78]

38. They didn't turn out in Alabama n/t

[rpannier]

43. See other post to your comment

Moore sunk himself in Alabama
Some Republikkans voted like Shelby did
They knew they were going to hold onto the senate and couldn't stomach Moore
Had the Republikkans run Strange, they'd still have the seat

[OhNo-Really]

36. Maybe they serve a purpose.

maybe help inspire GOTV efforts.

[rpannier]

12. Some things to remember

1. il douche's ardent supporters will get out and vote.
In fact, I'd argue those people will vote in the high 80's percentile because they think he's being unfairly treated by the deep state
2. Speaking of which, the chronically paranoid will get out and vote for him
3. his least happy supporters who loathe Democrats will vote
4. Republikkans who don't really like him, but discover he has been signing republikkan legislation will vote for him

It all comes down to turn out.

[OhNo-Really]

37. Well at least Ed Shultz isn't telling people to stay home. GOTV

[Motownman78]

39. They didn't turn-out in Alabama

And that was a very important election.

[rpannier]

42. I saw an interview with several republikkans who didn't vote Moore

They all pretty much said the same thing, "They hated Moore. They're certain they'll win back the seat in 2020. So they did like Shelby."

[FreepFryer]

16. +1000000. it's blatant, and pathetic. (n/t)

[Kingofalldems]

17. So true.

[PatrickforO]

18. I've voted a straight Dem ticked for many years.

In every election.

[Zo Zig]

19. Caught the last train for the coast...

Nt

[SunSeeker]

21. K & R

[Mrs. Overall]

22. Truth.

K & R

[bronxiteforever]

23. K & R. Anything of value in life is a struggle-we rise in 2018

[Paladin]

24. K&R. This is EXACTLY the message we need to be getting out. (nt)

[hay rick]

25. And don't believe in the blue wave either.

The subtext of the "blue wave" is that you don't have to do anything because it's in the bag. If you don't do more than you did last time you have no reason to expect others to do more. Be angry. Stay angry. Do what needs to be done, not what you have always done and what fits inside your comfort zone.

End of rant.

[bitterross]

27. Yep, I've noticed a fair number of posters of whom I am suspicious

They took down DU on election day. I have no doubt they find all of us here to be a problem for them.

I have no doubt they will do what they can to stir the shit and get us to fight amongst ourselves. To try and demoralize us so we give up.

I'm not giving up.

[elmac]

28. as long as the Dems stick together and quit working with the fascists

I think they have a chance to take back the Senate, maybe the House. If they take too many "high roads" then I don't think its going to get too many voters to the polls/

[IronLionZion]

29. Every time a "liberal" says there's no point voting, both parties are the same

I feel an intense urge to punch them in the face. One these days...

[D23MIURG23]

33. Yeah, this is one of my pet peeves.

I understand people who want a political party further left than the Democrats, or who are frustrated that the Dems haven't done enough on a specific issue that they care about. But when you get into specifics, there are huge differences in platform and voting behavior that make it more than worthwhile to show up and vote for someone who isn't your ideal candidate.

I was arguing with a friend about this last election who complained that the choice between a Democrat and a republican was like a choice between herpes and AIDS. I don't agree with that comparison, but my reply was that if someone actually gave you that choice, you would be stupid to let yourself get infected with HIV because you were too stubborn to choose herpes. Maybe you hate having to make that choice but, FFS be rational and take the option that is less likely to kill you.

[IronLionZion]

49. It gets really frustrating when discussing red state moderate Dems

they still vote with the other Dems on many important issues but there will be a few that we're not going to like. The alternative is rarely going to be a more liberal dem, it's always a truly repugnant republican.

[left-of-center2012]

30. "They" who?

I'll add this to threads predicting "shocking indictments imminent !"

[johnmont]

32. arrest

My favorite republikkkan tactic is saying that Obama or Hillary is just about to be arrested .They. have been saying that every couple of,weeks for nine years.

[wasupaloopa]

57. I read those things yesterday on this board. My guess is they are our opposition.

[NoMoreRepugs]

31. Couldn't agree more. The "our candidate isn't perfect "

nonsense has 2 stop... everybody that votes "D" has to vote "D" PERIOD.

[Blue_true]

35. They are going to attack any disagreements that we have.

They will come as purist concern trolls, Democrats did not fight hard enough for something all of us agree as important. They will work to open up sores where we legitimately disagree, like on whether Al Franken's resignation was right or forced. They used those type of tactics to maximum benefit, they know in the end that they cannot convince sound Democrats, but they can cause some people that would have voted for Democrats to stay home. We saw the power of 10, or even 1 vote in Virginia, if they convince just 20 people to stay home and not vote for Democrats, they can change election results at the local, state district, US House district level.

[kag]

40. I AM a one-issue voter...

My issue is to get the goddamned repubs OUT OF OFFICE! THAT is my only issue!

And preferably into jail, but I'll settle for out of office.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

44. Amen!

We cannot let them win.

[lamp_shade]

45. Thanks. Good to know I'm not the only one who notices this. nt

[Cha]

48. Well Done, upaloopa!!

[VOX]

50. Absolutely, wasupaloopa.

100% in agreement.

[AlexSFCA]

51. the best thing (and easiest) for us to do is to have hope for 2018 midterm

This could be the most important election of or lifetime. Even more important than 2016. Granted, if reps maintain or even expand majorities, my hope will vanish. but not until then.

[Kingofalldems]

52. Kick and rec.