I must say this, Michael, if I am to be honest with myself and everyone else here: There are liberals, and then there are ditto heads on on that side, too. Here and out in the Big Beyond-o.

Nah! Ditto heads are Rush's groupies. Their heads just bob up and down every time he speaks - no thought required. Beck simply plays on people's fears (for profit). We do have some conservatives here who don't drink the FUD kool-aide. I don't take any TV show as "gospel." It is getting nearly impossible to get real news out of all the noise these days.

"I use no one source as gospel. You can bash Fox News all you want but that has nothing to do with how I form my opinions."


I'll take your word for it, and I don't even know you. Yet. I'd just like to point out the obvious ~ Liberal minds are just as easily sprung and permanently shut steel traps as any other lock step mentality. Seriously, the left tilt here in the box has been good for me personally. I've slowly come to realize I never was that much of a Liberal ~ Or maybe just not much of a "goooood" Liberal. Suits me fine. To tell the truth, it's been a liberating couple of years (punage mileage may vary ).

Lea.......You are absolutely right. A couple perfect examples of the "steel trap" right here in this thread. I really like good rational discussion, but the name calling gets really childish. I think you've described well why so many feel the need to use negative labels instead of engaging in rational discussion.
I remember quite awhile ago the first time I visited this forum. One poster took it upon himself to take my postings and search the internet looking for source material where it could have been cut and pasted from. He found no such thing and concluded that I was being sincere and original in my thoughts. I'm no Einstein but I do enjoy reading and discovering for myself what I consider to be the truth.
Good Night.

Name calling?

I think he means that figuratively. Let's face it, anyone — especially new or infrequent visitors — with a stated right wing position get hammered almost immediately, and made to feel like trespassers here. I sure as hell don't subscribe to the conservative agenda (although on some issues I do lean a tad more right than left), but this practice of political piling on is one reason why this place has lost a a measure of it's former vibrancy.

Sorry of that ruffles feathers, but that's the way I see it.

So I'd be interested in what the "Hammering" is, exactly ...

If you're using this thread as an example, I see one poster replying to Tahoe's comments, with maybe an aside or two from another. Neither of which I saw as particularly offensive. Aggressive? Opinionated? Sure. But that's what this place is all about, as you well know.

As for "Trespassers," if making someone feel unwelcome here is accomplished merely by posting an opinionated and/or aggressive response - or even many of them - then this place is indeed not going to get any new blood ...

Welcome back, Tahoe, btw ;-)

"Hammering" is a figurative term. Even a tad hyperbolic (a teeny tad). But you already know that. Regarding your second comment, you will notice there is virtually no new blood here. Nor has there been for quite some time because the joint is known for its pronounced and vigorously defended list to port.

It's fine if a given POV is prevalent in a forum like this. But when the the tone and manner implies that other views need not apply — and that's been my perception for a while — new membership is hard to come by.

Doesn't mean anyone should suddenly drop their convictions and embrace the opposite position just to be neighborly, but the polarity here can be a bit much.

Well, mojo used to be fairly coherent while his guy was in, but when Obama won, he went all psychotic on us and stomped off.

And why do you think that was? Maybe he just expected to get shouted down if he voiced any right-leaning views — or worse, the kind of anti-administration sentiments we so lavishly bestowed upon Bush.

Seriously, man, this is a tough room to survive in if you're a conservative. And I can empathize because where I am, I've been in some real bricks & mortar rooms where survival as a liberal is no easy task.