I have been an active member of DU since 2001, and I have survived with this board

[ProfessorPlum]

through some tough times.

There was the heartbreak of the Kerry-Dean primary. The heartbreak of the Obama-Clinton (and briefly Edwards!) primary. The heartbreak of the Clinton-Sanders primary.

I thank the moderators from the bottom of my heart for keeping it up and running, through difficult times like those and through technical difficulties and changes.

They can be tough times. But after each, the rival supporters have come back together to face our greater enemies, and DU continued to be a rich resource of excellent articles, news, essays, and humor to support a vision of the world that governs better and treats people better.

Let's do that again. It's way past time.

[Stuart G]

1. I agree..and we do have "greater enemies" and they are numerous and very dangerous.

[marlakay]

2. Totally agree this place got me past

Working on Kerry campaign and having to go to work for my republican bosses next day when Bush won and they were all smiles.

I cried all the way home from work the day after he lost.

We even started a thread where we vowed to not let it happen again and gave our real names as a way of saying we will not fear the republicans.

For years after if i put my name in a search engine DU and that thread came up and choked me up because we were all crying together.

Let's be that way again!

[ProfessorPlum]

5. I remember that dark day

And as a Dean supporter I remember getting enthusiastically behind Kerry to oust W.

DU was a great place to find renewed meaning and shared goals then.

[marlakay]

7. I started out with Dean too

Then tried to get Gore to run, then I was in between jobs and worked volunteer fulltime for Kerry after.

Like you said even though not first choice we worked hard for him!

[ProfessorPlum]

10. I went door to door for Dean in Delaware where I lived at the time

It was the first time I'd ever done that for a politician.

Beating Dumbya was such an important goal. Instead we got four more years of President Cheney and the War Crimes (great band name)

[marlakay]

13. My first time doing major stuff too

I always voted but woke up after 2000 election.

I used to stay up once in awhile and watch Bill Maher on ABC, when I heard they fired him because everyone went nuts after 9-11 and I never believed what we were told, I got active.

[ProfessorPlum]

15. An excellent response to the madness

Cheers, marlakay. Here's to many more years of working together with good people to make the world a better place.

[marlakay]

17. My meditation group believes our unity

Is going out into the world with many many groups sending out the same vibes.

Our brains have a negative bias that we need to overcome.

[Lonestarblue]

19. Started with Dean Also

Knocking on doors in New Hampshire for the Dean campaign was my first taste of political activism (lived in New England at the time). It was an experience, and most people were at least polite even if they didn't want any information about Dean. Given today's political climate, I'm not sure it's safe to knock on doors anymore. Sad commentary on the state of affairs today.

[ProfessorPlum]

21. I had that same experience. People were very polite

and often sweet.

Cheers, Lonestarblue

[calimary]

40. Welcome to DU, Lonestarblue!

I, too, gave my heart to Howard Dean. When Kerry won the nomination, I went all in for him. But I kept my Dean for America sticker. The morning after that miserable election, I took the Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker out of the back window of my car, and replaced it with the Dean for America sticker, while thinking to myself "I was right the first time."

I still think Teresa Heinz Kerry would have been a truly stunning and brilliant First Lady. An international class act.

[flygal]

31. I remember that thread!

great post btw!

[randome]

3. Agreed.

[panader0]

4. Seriously. It's a target rich zone now.

Anyone in any way associated with the Trump campaign/cabinet/congress
is ripe, like easy to attack. Let's focus on the targets and not each other.

[Wiseman32218]

6. Exactly!! Fortunately we can discuss the lunacy of this admin for the next 4 years!!!

[ProfessorPlum]

8. Or less, goddess willing

[SergeStorms]

58. Oh, it HAS to be less!

It just HAS to. This country won't survive four years of this tiny handed, tiny minded, orange orangutan.

[calimary]

41. Welcome to DU, Wiseman32218!

Hopefully, this agony won't last four years.

IMPEACHMENT!!!

[Wiseman32218]

160. Thanks for the welcome!! Unfortunately if he is impeached we get Pence

[MuseRider]

9. It is.

2002 here. I have left the board for varying amounts of time for other reasons and am rethinking my trip back in, it just seems to blow around here lately.

I recall laughing at another website back then that was doing exactly what we are doing now. I suppose it was inevitable but I think actually most of the problems are caused by bots. I hate to start using my ignore list again but perhaps that is the best way for now.

[ProfessorPlum]

11. I feel the same way

I think I've put maybe two people on ignore in the last 16 years. And even then only for short periods of time. But lately I've been thinking about using it a lot more often.

[MuseRider]

22. I used to use to to control myself.

If I found myself getting too involved and angry or upset I would put them on ignore and come back when I was calmer, take them off and not revisit the thread. Now I find that it is always the same people, not one or two people routinely or just a random thing but always the same people. That just says "planned attack" to me. It was done during the primary why not now? I so want to be done with this.

Thanks for your posts lately. I had been wanting to send you a note to thank you but had not gotten around to it yet. I am glad you are still around.

[ProfessorPlum]

26. Thank you MuseRider

I'm glad to see you still here as well

[SoCalDem]

112. Same here..I just found other things to do

I miss the "good old days" here..but life goes on

[MuseRider]

121. How are you?

I have looked for you several times with no luck. (I could search the web and not be able to even find myself). I am glad to see you. 😁

[SoCalDem]

156. We moved from SoCal to Washington state

so last year was a busy one for me..after nearly 40 years in the same house, you can imagine the crap we had to sort. pitch and/or pack...

Today is a glorious sunny day (after two weeks of rain)

we "downsized" from our 1900 sq ft house in CA to a MONSTER house here.. 3224 up and 3224 finished basement on a 1/3 acre in-city lot..

we have an enormous cherry tree in our back yard, but between the squirrels & bird, we only got THREE cherries for us ,, they were fantastic cherries for a grizzled old tree..

I have gravitated from DU to facebook free slots.. no confrontational nutcases..just fun & friends..and frustration

[MuseRider]

164. Lovely!

I am so happy for you 😊. If you have any interest in a new FB friend send me a message and I will send you my name. I only do a little political stuff on my page. Mostly it is just life stuff. Son's, farm, goats, nature and music.

[quakerboy]

12. Indeed.

[tavalon]

14. Thank you

We have way too much on our plates right now to be re-litigating our Primary Candidates. I come here to stand in solidarity with people against Donald Trump and to plan strategies for the 2018 midterms.

[ProfessorPlum]

16. Well, yes. I'd call it not re-litigating the primaries so much as continuing to

shit on one of the primary candidates. But I share your goal and purpose.

[tavalon]

18. I was trying to be non incendiary

The time for infighting is well past over. I don't know how we get DU to unite, but it really needs to happen.

[SecularMotion]

20. Now you're a peacemaker?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028950215

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028954067

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028954950

[ProfessorPlum]

24. Yes, and before too. In those threads i am urging parts of DU

to stop dumping on one of our primary candidates. Because that won't get us all on the same page.

[SecularMotion]

29. In those threads you are attacking Democrats.

You want peace?

Stop attacking Democrats.

Be the change.

[ProfessorPlum]

33. Oh, I see. You have no problem with corporate cash corrupting our political system

Well, ok, that's a valid position, but diametrically opposed to what i believe and my goals.

I thought it was just a given that nearly all people here on DU were opposed to that kind of corruption and the bad governance that comes out of it.

Bad assumption on my part, I see. Thanks for clearing that up. I guess i'll have to write my posts a little more carefully to include the "corrupting money is A-OK as long as it corrupts Democrats too" wing of the party/message board.

[SecularMotion]

34. You're still in attack mode

[ProfessorPlum]

39. Mmm. Not really

more of a "defense" mode.

I mean, yes, I'll always attack corporate corruption of our political system. That's a given. Is that bad?

[LakeArenal]

96. Same ole grief by the same ole folks..

The good part is they follow you closely so they can pull up your discussions. That means you are hitting some nail on some forehead.

... she persisted...

[ProfessorPlum]

109. Thanks

Yeah, when did DU become pro corruption? I must have missed that memo.

[sammythecat]

140. Also in that memo was the fact that,

evidenced by all of the recent overwhelming successes, the Democratic Party has become perfect. There can be no "constructive" criticism of the perfect, only destructive. Criticism of The Party can only be interpreted as efforts of cynical self-aggrandizement by those seeking power and such people can not be tolerated. At all. They must be attacked, relentlessly and vigorously, until destroyed or, at the least, marginalized to the point of complete irrelevance.

You would be doing yourself a favor, Professor Plum, to keep these points in mind. Your recent outbursts have not gone unnoticed. Remember, "the squeaky wheel gets the hammer".

[ProfessorPlum]

143. thank you for pointing it out for me

I'll try to get my mind right!

[LiberalLovinLug]

139. "You're still in attack mode"

lol. Are you looking in a mirror?
You wade into a thread that is encouraging peace and coming together, and scrounge out a few old posts by the OP writer to attack them and derail the thread. Nice.

[NurseJackie]

45. I know! Right?

[sheshe2]

79. Sounded like a campaign about fear. What is with that?

That word was mentioned a lot on those links you provided, thank you SecularMotion. D's do not run on fear, we run on the future. Whole lot of ridicule of D's. On one of those threads we were called harlots.

I don't buy this turn around for a moment. It will start again very soon, actually I saw a glimmer here tonight.

[stonecutter357]

80. +1000

[betsuni]

87. It's too much, I can't take it. I have gone into a trance from irony and disbelief.

I have to lay down for awhile.

[Leith]

23. I'm With You

For all the defense we have to do against the rethugs, it's just galling to read the hatred here.

I've already decided that the ones keeping it up are trolls, no matter what their post count is..

[ProfessorPlum]

25. I feel the same way

[SalviaBlue]

27. Yep... trolls with high post counts are still trolls.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

28. Your posts give me that same sad, divisive feeling I had during the primaries. nt

[ProfessorPlum]

35. Why? My posts aren't trashing any politician or faction

They are merely defending one politician.

Let's bring that politician and his supporters into the broader coalition that works towards our shared goals.

Sorry to have that effect on you.

[Squinch]

75. I agree.

[stonecutter357]

151. +1000

[Arazi]

30. Yes, this

to you

[ProfessorPlum]

36. Thank you

[Arazi]

38. .

[Amaryllis]

32. The heartbreak of the Kerry/Bush election.

[ProfessorPlum]

37. that was heartbreaking.

hugs to you.

here's to better outcomes.

[emulatorloo]

44. Devastating. Kerry would have been a great president.

[blm]

42. Hear, hear. This party doesn't need further division. We ALL need to rise a notch

in our commitments to oppose the monsters we are now facing.

[ProfessorPlum]

43. :)

you know a bit of what I'm talking about, blm

[spanone]

46. K&R...

[AnnieBW]

47. Another Longtime Member Here

Thank you for saying this!

[ProfessorPlum]

49. Thanks AnnieBW!

[WomenRising2017]

48. I take it you are the elder spokesperson for DU?

I must say that I find your posts rather odd.

If your posts represent what DU is about, I think I'll pass.

There was no greater time to confront the "'enemy" than in 2016.

Continuing to present this current administration as normal, is not something I want to be a part of.

And failing to recognize the reasons this administration is in power is insulting, and useless.

[ProfessorPlum]

51. I am elder but I in no way would represent myself as a spokesperson for DU

Just a grateful member.

My posts probably are a bit odd, especially if they are out of context for you.

Feel free to pass.

I worked very hard to confront the enemy in 2016, including voting against fascism and working at local and state levels to get out the vote and vote for good government.

I agree this current administration is completely abnormal. Have I implied anything different than that?

[Tanuki]

115. This is a little confusing. Did you vote for Hillary in the general election?

Your account of all your hard work omits this detail.

[ProfessorPlum]

116. Not that I owe you an explanation, but of course, are you kidding me?

One would have to have been a moron not to.

[Tanuki]

117. I wasn't kidding. Thanks for answering my question.

[edhopper]

86. The two sides he talks about

are Clinton and Sanders, not us and the Trumpets.

[JimGinPA]

88. I Find Your Post Rather Odd Too...

The OP was speaking about our primaries, yours was just disruptive, comrade.

[BainsBane]

50. I'm not buying it

Last edited Thu Apr 20, 2017, 11:01 PM - Edit history (1)

Not after the comments I've seen you make over the past couple of days.
If you really want to make progress on coming together with all Democrats here, start with yourself. Quit hurling insults and leaving dismissive comments because someone disagrees with your or fails to treat a politician as infallible.

[ProfessorPlum]

53. keep attacking that strawman

you'll defeat him eventually.

[BainsBane]

64. It's not straw

You have called people liars and corporatists. It's uncivil and divisive.

[ProfessorPlum]

67. consider me scolded.

[JTFrog]

104. Consider me unimpressed. nt

[chwaliszewski]

105. Consider me impressed!

I'm with you, Plum.

[LiberalLovinLug]

142. So what exactly are you saying?

You will continue to hold a grudge because someone said something uncomfortable about their opinion about some politicians unhealthy relationships with corporations wishes? Or they dared to accuse a politician of not telling the truth? gasp...unforgivable. Even with an extended hand you slap it away and stomp your feet. How exactly does this behavior help us fight Trump and the GOP?

[BainsBane]

146. Hold a grudge?

He did it right before posting this OP and since. We're not talking ancient history.

No, he said anyone who criticized Bernie was a corporatist. Daring to care about women's equal rights is "corporatist." He called people who believed Bernie placed a greater priority on white male voters than them "liars." He posted a thread about "corporate money" in politics and then systematically left glib, dismissive comments toward anyone who raised substantive points, even those who said they favor systemic reform. His behavior makes clear he has no interest in unity.

The attack of corporatist is being used to defend injustice and inequality. How do insulting women who speak out for their own rights help fight Trump? Tell me that? I'm sick of the bullshit. People can say anything. It's what they do that matters. Becoming like the far right doesn't fight them. It acquiesces to them.

So spare me your bumper sticker slogans. Either you have no idea what you're talking about or you support the use of mendacious insults to enforce economic inequality and the privilege of those who already make twice the median income at the expense of increased poverty for women. There is nothing progressive, just or decent about any of that.

I am sick of seeing the concerns of the poorest, most vulnerable Americans dismissed as corporastist, while those who make 2-4x the median income are heralded as the salt of the earth. It's a transparent effort to prop up privilege at the expense of injustice and poverty, and it's morally bankrupt.

[sheshe2]

147. + infinity

Absolutely nothing I can add to your post.

[LiberalLovinLug]

148. Seriously, I can't figure out where you are coming from.

I reviewed the 3 post links that Secular Motion put up, and I do not get your interpretation at all. I did not see someone saying anyone that criticizes Bernie is a corporatist. Caring about women's rights, which Bernie and his supporters do passionately, many of which are women themselves is a given. Bernie placed more priority on white male voters? WTF? In what speech or policy do your take this gem from? Russian trolls who were hard at work posting inflammatory memes on Sanders support sites? Because if you looked, Bernie's platform at the time was in full support of women's rights to choose, and other issues like equal pay. If you want to believe a Russian troll speaks for Bernie supporters that voted for Hillary then yes, you are willingly holding a baseless unhealthy grudge about nothing. Worse you are helping Putin create a division in here.

The concerns of the poorest, most vulnerable Americans are a top priority for those with more progressive values. Calling someone that cares about these issues "corporatist" is some form of backhanded alt insult I haven't seen yet.

[BainsBane]

149. You pbvioiusly don't read many posts by people who disagree with you

start here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028958175
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8957583
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8953867

and this thread. https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028960211 Response 8 is revealing. As is:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8955406

I'm not interested in debating Bernie's virtue yet again. What matters is what you and other progressives are willing to fight for.

[ProfessorPlum]

152. "he said anyone who criticized Bernie was a corporatist"

Please, please, provide some documentation for this.

[BainsBane]

154. Here

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=8955406

On a related point, this little gem is particularly revealing. https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028960211#post8

[ProfessorPlum]

162. You've just shown that you are not representing my

position truthfully. I never wrote what you say I wrote.

[PatrickforO]

52. I'm fine. Was a fervent Bernie supporter. Supported Clinton when she won.

Resisting Trump's agenda with letters, petitions, phone calls and donated to DNC when I found out (was VERY pleased) that Perez will be barnstorming in red states with Bernie.

But you know what? You want to stop it, then everyone should quit taking pokes at Bernie. He is who he is and he is helping us. But I hear, 'oh, he didn't support Ossoff,' or 'oh, he still isn't a Democrat,' or 'oh, he cuts down Democrats.'

I'm tired of it. The Dems are the only party in town if you're to left of center. Or even center, to be honest.

Yes we have people at every part of the continuum - far left to what would have been considered an Eisenhower Republican back in the 50s. But, you know, when someone says something about how the message could have been better, or suggests Bernie might have won, or that it would have been better to have a rust belt strategy, et cetera, leave it. In return, when I see posts about how Bernie couldn't have won, isn't a real Dem, didn't support Ossoff, I'll ignore them. Deal?

Because, folks, all the shit in the paragraph immediately above is NOTHING. Get it? NOTHING. Trump is now in a pissing contest with Kim Jung Un, who is crazier than a hoot owl, and there is a real danger of a nuclear exchange. These assholes Trump is bringing into the White House are tearing down everything this country is supposed to stand for. There are a bunch of inbred, ignorant, quasi-literate Ku Klux survivalist 'militia' hate-groups out there who are HEAVILY ARMED and committed to making 'Murika grate agin.'

So...let's not poke at each other. We lost this election because of a lot of things. It IS. Now we have to fight if we don't want this country to get flushed down the right wing-nut crapper. Write letters, send emails, sign petitions, telephone your US Senators and Representative. Be active in your local Dem party. Get to know your state legislators and educate them about the issues you care about. March. Do civil disobedience if it becomes necessary. Donate to the DNC - Perez and Ellison are GREAT and will be much more active than their predecessor in a fifty-state strategy.

Lastly, support the national popular vote initiative. Let's get rid of the electoral college.

And, let's all quit poking at each other and instead focus with single minded intensity on fighting this far right agenda, getting Trump out of office and winning seats.

[ProfessorPlum]

55. "then everyone should quit taking pokes at Bernie"

Totally agree!

[NurseJackie]

60. LOL

[boston bean]

62. Wonderful performamce art.

[NurseJackie]

65. That's the only explanation.

[Squinch]

77. That's becoming very clear.

[sheshe2]

82. Take a bow

[betsuni]

89. Teach a master class!

[melman]

94. No

It's just a person being rational and making sense.

You don't see a lot of that around here so that's why some don't recognize it.

[stonecutter357]

153. .

[JudyM]

85. OCD at the mention of his name, no self control, they're victims.

[NurseJackie]

136. LOL

[SergeStorms]

54. I've been around about that long as well...

after Al Gore won the 2000 election, then was robbed of it by the Supreme Court, I needed to commiserate with some like minded people, and found a link on BartCop. DU! The Bush years were a long, tough haul, and I never thought we'd be subjected to anything WORSE than that! Boy, was I ever wrong! I took a long hiatus after the Clinton/Obama wars of 2008, lurking frequently, but now I feel the need to regain the energy this place gives you after a miscarriage of justice like the Great Trump Robbery. I opened a new account, et voila! Back from the dead.

I had some bitterness after the 2008 primary battles, but that was MY problem, not the problem of anyone else on DU. We're all allowed to voice our own opinions, and I lost sight of that in the heat of the battle. I went under another screen name at that time, and if I were to mention it I'm sure some of the "old timers" would recognize the name. I'm NOT going to mention that name, however. That person no longer exists.

Yes, DU always seems to weather the storms, and I'm certainly glad you're all here to get and give moral support in these trying times. We're all in this together, whether it seems like it at times, or not. We have to unite against the Trump cabal, and stop the infighting. It accomplishes nothing, other than making us feel more separated from the rest of our allies. And they ARE our allies!

[ProfessorPlum]

57. I'm almost positive I got her via BartCop too

and before that, MediaWhoresOnline. Now _That_ was a website. And sorely needed today.

Cheers, SergeStorms.

[SergeStorms]

59. Thank you, Professor!

It's great to be back.

[LAS14]

56. K & R

[oldcynic]

61. forget Hillary. Forget Sanders. who and what is next?

Take policies and ideas from both, write a statement of mission, find a leader, go.



and I vigorously campaigned for Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver. That really was a tragic loss.

[ProfessorPlum]

66. now that's old school :)

[Saviolo]

134. All of this. All of it.

You need to make an OP with this sentiment. Hillary lost the electoral college, and Bernie lost the primary. There are a LOT of reasons that both things happened, but it's no longer possible to change those things. All we can do is look at what we can do to avoid it going forward.

The real enemy is the Trump administration and anyone colluding with them, including Democrats. Hell, there was even a Democrat that voted yes on Jeff Sessions (Joe Manchin (D) W.VA) and three (3!!) voted yes on Gorsuch (Heidi Heitkamp (D) N.D., Joe Manchin (D) W.VA, and Joe Donnelly (D) Ind.). With friends like these...

So, time to get real allies in those seats. People who will stand up to Trump's administration and not vote with them! Who and what is next?

[secondwind]

63. DU is my first go-to in the morning, and it is my solace when I am despaired ... I love this

place and its members... Let's stick together and fight the Republican Party with everything we have, this may be the biggest battle of them all..

[volstork]

68. Hear, hear!

I was bereft on election night, first when DU went down, then, of course, when the results came in.

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots brought me here in 2004, and I lurked for a long time before I joined. I don't have too many comments, because I find that so many others say things better than I ever could.

Here's to DU and the sisterhood/brotherhood it brings!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

69. tricky times right now. we need robust debate.

I watched Elizabeth Warren on Charlie Rose last night actually argue with him. He did his usual talking and surmising what she was saying. She made a point to show she was being patient. I never saw an interview on his show quite like it. The fear of Socialism was palpable in Mr Rose. His desire to argue was greater than his job to listen.

[ProfessorPlum]

70. that's that old school, status quo thinking that will beat down any attempt

to spread the wealth. Glad Warren took him on.

[watrwefitinfor]

111. Elizabeth Warren on the Charlie Rose Show - Lizzie talks back!

https://charlierose.com/videos/30393

[ProfessorPlum]

120. Great interview

thanks for posting

[SleeplessinSoCal]

138. Thanks for the link. Everyone take notes.

She makes essential points. And when she hit a big one - not auditing the defense budget - He quickly changed the subject.

[Squinch]

71. Seemed like that was happening. But then there was this one guy who kept posting

asinine divisive threads. So...

[sheshe2]

83. Noticed that.

[ms liberty]

72. 2003 for me, although I was a lurker for neary the two years before

I think the replies in this thread are interesting so far, and exactly as I expected. I agree with MuseRider regarding your recent posts - I have enjoyed them very much!

[bullwinkle428]

73. K&R. Can't recall the last time I've considered (to this serious a degree) severely reducing my

time here, if not walking away completely.

[WomenRising2017]

74. So I'm curious now.

Are you from NYC? Or are you an escapee?

[ProfessorPlum]

91. No. I don't know what an escapee is

[melman]

95. Me neither

My guess is it's meant to be insulting but in a vague enough way so as to be un-alertable.

[emulatorloo]

101. Definition of escapee from Merriam-Webster:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escapee

Definition of escapee
: one that has escaped; especially : an escaped prisoner

Examples of escapee in a sentence
an escapee from the local jail

First Known Use of escapee
circa 1866

-------

Since you're old like me you probably remember that Kurt Russel movie, "Escape From New York"

I assume poster was asking if you still live in New York, or have you moved elsewhere.

[ProfessorPlum]

108. The answer is neither

And I was asking what her/his definition of escapee is, not what the word meant in general.

[emulatorloo]

161. "I don't know what an escapee is" sounded like you weren't familiar with the word.

Excuse me for trying to help out.

[ProfessorPlum]

163. Thanks though

Didn't mean to come down on genuine helpfulness.

[emulatorloo]

165. ...

Have a great weekend!

[ProfessorPlum]

166. You as well

[Gore1FL]

76. I've been here since 2001, too. I've considered myself a Democrat since 1976.

I'm with you on DU, and I am with you on the need to get back to where we were pre-Reagan as a party--when we stood for and fought for progressive goals.

It saddens me to see the same crowd who screamed "We don't need you! Go away! We can do it without you!" last summer and fall are now the ones hell-bent on blaming those that took their advice (as well as those of us that knew better and didn't) for the election loss in 2016.

[LakeArenal]

123. "We don't need you! Go away! We can do it without you!"

I remember that as well. It's irritated me. I couldn't believe there wasn't any room for two groups with supposedly same goal.

I knew if I posted anything positive about B. This furry of negativity would ensue. Now a year later.. Here we are. Being pretty much told the same thing.

[WinkyDink]

78. Professor Plum, with a wise post in the GD Forum. ;-)

[cer7711]

81. KILL THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE!!!

Last edited Tue Apr 25, 2017, 02:57 AM - Edit history (2)

Yesterday.

This is the issue and strategy we need to unite behind, ASAP!

The damage this institution (a vestige of the questionable over-weighting of the votes of slave-holding states) has done to our democratic republic (especially these last few election cycles re: Al Gore & Hillary Clinton) is incalculable.

[Quixote1818]

84. Thank you for this! K and R

[murielm99]

90. Key word in your entire post:

moderators.

The jury system does not work. We need to return to a system with moderators.

[ProfessorPlum]

92. Ah. I see. that must be why things are happening the way they are

[murielm99]

93. Yep.

Too many juries stacked with bernie supporters. I have been silenced here, like many other HRC supporters. And I am tired of walking on eggshells.

If Bernie cannot help candidates like Ossoff, then he needs to go back home. If he is going to keep calling out our leaders as feeble and unable to fight back, he could be quiet.

We have a right to disagree with you without facing consequences, like hidden posts and silencing. We have a right to support people who are not ashamed to have a 'D' after their name without facing ridicule. You feel free to criticize anyone you consider a DINO. I have a right to criticize someone with an 'I' after his name whose support for my party is lackluster to nonexistent.

[Mountain Mule]

98. It's all in the eye of the beholder, I guess

You feel that your support of Hillary leads to a backlash by others here, including hidden posts and other forms of silencing your voice. I feel that my refusal to chime in on threads which engage in Bernie bashing have had similarly negative consequences for me. Neither Hillary nor Bernie nor anyone else is perfect. There is nothing wrong with commenting about how one of the leaders of our party may have not handled a given situation as skillfully as s/he might have and giving suggestions as to how things might be done better by the Party at large in the future.

This partisan bickering and a refusal to acknowledge that the other side might have a point - no matter how minor- is what I see as one of the major flaws of this board.

[Chevy]

100. Yes muriel

the juries are stacked when long standing members like us are needing to walk on egg shells even when calling out 2 day old members who are in attack mode and we are the ones who are ALERTED on something is broken.

[Kentonio]

106. I don't know where this idea comes from that juries are stacked against you.

I had a couple of days where I had about 3 posts alerted and hidden and I'm a big Bernie supporter.

It's not about the right to speak though, its about the form that speech takes. If Sanders did something you didn't like and you said so, great. I certainly wouldn't have any kind of issue with hearing a voice saying something I might not agree with. We're adults right? That's life.

But it's not about someone saying they don't agree with him, it's about a daily flood of posts by the same group of people sniping at and attacking him in thread, after thread after thread. One posts a thread, and then they jump in and start with the vitriol, and then start replying to each other telling each other how completely right they are and what a horrible man that nasty Sanders is, etc, etc continue ad nauseum.

A quick scan down the main page shows at least 10-15 threads whose sole purpose is to critisize Bernie Sanders. That doesn't include all the other threads that migrate that direction, of which there are many. Really? We have nothing better to do right now than wade through this crap?

[ProfessorPlum]

107. Well said

[ProfessorGAC]

113. Can You Elaborate?

Not being snarky Muriel, but I'm on LOTS of juries and have never considered my own POV. Something either breaks the rule or it doesn't
But I hear this jury bashing a lot yet never seen anything concrete
I think the jury system works, and I try to do the right thing but I'd sure like to understand the basis for the sentiment you express

[NurseJackie]

137. Oh, she's not going to fall for that! I'll bet Muriel is smart enough to not elaborate...

... as doing so would most assuredly result in her walking directly into a rules violation.

[ProfessorGAC]

157. I Meant No Harm

She could have PM'd me
Honest Jackie, I don't get the jury critcisms

[Heartstrings]

97. Well said ProfessorPlum! nt

[Aristus]

99. Amen!

[argyl]

102. This place helped me through the dark days of Gee Dubya.

Sixteen years later, we're stuck with this Orange Idiot who makes Smirk look like Thomas Jefferson.

This one really stung but I can still go to DU for enlightenment, entertainment, and positive news.

[Judi Lynn]

103. So good to see your comments. You couldn't have picked a better time. Thank you. n/t

[ProfessorPlum]

110. Thanks Judi Lynn

So good to see you here

[ehrnst]

114. So you seem to have had a change of heart about coming together

Good for you.

[ProfessorPlum]

119. Not at all

I believe Sanders should be a welcomed member of the Democratic coalition in our struggle against Trump, which includes a huge number of Democratic politicians, voters, and organiziations. And that corporate corruption ought to be rooted out of our political system, everywhere it is found.

That's always been the same.

[ehrnst]

132. I was talking about your own outlook. I guess I was mistaken. (nt)

[alarimer]

118. People have become so much more nasty.

Maybe it's the internet generally, but I feel that the diversity of opinion is no longer there. It's all about the echo chamber these days, only picking those outlets and journalists who tell us what we want to hear (which may or may not be actually true) and the team sports aspect of politics (which I hate).

[AgadorSparticus]

122. I completely agree. On here, if you dare to hold an opinion that strays from the popular

Opinion, you get all kinds of snark and arrogance. There is only 1 perspective to feminism. There is only 1 perspective to anything....

[alarimer]

131. To be fair to DU, this is a fact of life on the internet these days.

And I don't honestly know if it is worse, or if that's just my perception.

I think expressing dissent is healthy. Democrats have always been a big tent party and so I don't worry too much about divisions within it (even if centrists and right-wing Democrats annoy me at times).

[Mountain Mule]

145. I guess I expected a little more from DU

than from the Internet in general. And I DO feel that DU is on a somewhat higher plane than other Internet discussion forums I'm on. This Bernie thing does distress me, however; and I agree with those who have noticed that the various Bernie hate threads seem to be started by and kept going by the same group of members. I'm simply going to refuse to read such threads in the future, and if DU starts featuring too many of them, I'll just go away and come back after things have had a chance to die down a little. My most important goal (and that of our Country) is to get rid of the Traitor. Bernie on his worst day is worth more than a million of the Traitor at his best (if he has a "best" - which I doubt). 'Nuff said.

[AgadorSparticus]

167. I skip through all the "civil war" threads. I am tired of the primaries

Rearing its ugly head every so often so I just ignore it. At this point in the game, I expect us to be further along. I won't engage in any of it...I am too tired and we have too many legitimate things to be angry with. I don't feel we have the luxury of party infighting.

[SunSeeker]

124. Wow. That's some turnaround! Just yesterday you were comparing Democrats to drug addicts.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028954950

[ProfessorPlum]

125. #notalldemocrats

[SunSeeker]

126. Your divisive hashtag contradicts the message of your OP.

As do many of your recent posts.

But you sure know how to get the clicks. I'll grant you that.

[ProfessorPlum]

129. Sez you

[betsuni]

130. ...

[disillusioned73]

127. K&R..

ProfessorPlum, posters like you make me want to come back a lot more often..

[Highway61]

128. As I said in my last post....The Intruder

It's like a family. There are bound to be disagreements and sometimes arguments, but as soon as an intruder breaks into the home; the family becomes one and defends one another with all they have.

My husband and I are progressives, or if you prefer FDR Democrats. We do not think the middle of the road is the way to go. Bill Clinton was a good president, but he was probably the most pro-business (Glass Stiegel Repeal, Telecommunications Act and The Personal Responsibility & Work Opportunity Act being just a few examples) Democratic president of the 20th century. Hillary would have most likely been quite similar.

Yes, we supported Bernie in the primaries; but as soon as HRC won the nomination we were "with her". We believe that she should be our current president if not for the inane and outdated Electoral College.

At the end of the day, either Bernie or Hillary would be much better then Trump Pie. On that, I am sure we all can agree.

Now, let us all put aside our minor differences and deal with this intruder!

[lark]

133. This board has kept me sane during the darkest days of the Shrub and now drumpf regimes.

I was so devastated when it went down at the end of the election. This is not a perfect place, some of the relatives get a little out there, but it's still a safe place for Dems to congregate, share our victories and all too often lately lament our harsh and consequential losses. I am so thankful every day for the good folks that populate this site, like you. I also want to give a shout out to the moderators, yours is a tough job but by and large I believe you get it right. Thanks!

[NoMoreRepugs]

135. Well said PP - no way to go back in time - let's get to it and rid the country of

the Orange Menance.

[riderinthestorm]

141. Thanks Professor. Another long term discouraged DUer here - have found real life activism is better

So glad you're here.

[LiberalLovinLug]

144. Thankyou Professor!

Well stated.
Its about time we stop these idiotic divisive posts. If Warren, Perez, and Sanders and others in the Dem party can work together, why do so many in here seem to hold onto some childish grudge where they cannot help themselves to rush into any thread that dares to highlight the efforts of a prominent Senator who is working with top Democrats to fight Trump and the GOP. You'd think they'd have it out of their systems by now. I wish there was a special room in DU they could be locked inside where they could cry and pound their fists and stomp their feet until they were ready to come out and converse like adults.

[tiptonic]

150. Amen

U guys keep me from going insane. The way Bartcop did, when i lived in Texas (that's like a whole other country). Many, many thanks.

[VOX]

155. Big thanks, Professor, from another old-timer!

I joined circa 2002 (changed my handle, and lost my initial status, so my profile reads "before July something-or-other, 2003."

Thanks so much for taking the time to show some love for DU and each other...and encouraging us to do the same.
Much appreciated!

[StrictlyRockers]

159. Been posting here regularly since 2006

We got this.

[denvine]

158. Totally agree!

Thanks!