DU changes rules to conform to a non-Bush environment

Claymore gave me the secret signal this morning (three tugs at the rope, then two tugs) and I pulled him up from the Democratic Underground sewer where he seems to spend way too much time. He reports that DU has had to change their rules since Obama is the president and it seems that way too many denizens of DU are being vocal about their displeasure with his administration.

The DU Administrators have long been frustrated with the persistent undercurrent of negativity and conflict here, which has been exacerbated by the lack of a common villain in the form of George W. Bush. But we have been reluctant to make changes to the way we run the site out of fear that we might do more harm than good. The problems we face are extraordinarily complicated, and despite (or perhaps because of) nearly a decade of administering this site we tend to be fairly skeptical of our own ability to effect broad-based changes that will improve DU for the majority of our members.

But here are some the new rules designed to effect a broad based change among the turdbats;

{ } Inappropriate attacks against Democrats
– Insults against prominent Democrats, such as “Fuck Obama.”
– Name-calling against prominent Democrats. Calling Barack Obama “Barry” or some other name.
– Repeating Republican partisan attacks against Democrats.
– Broadly suggesting that there is no difference between Barack Obama and George W. Bush, or that there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans. (Arguing that specific policies are the same would be permitted.)
– Suggesting that President Obama has perpetrated a “con job” or “fraud,” or similarly over-the-top assertions of bad faith.
– Advocating voting against Democrats, or in favor of third-party or GOP candidates.
– Broad-brush smears against Democrats generally. Broad expressions of contempt toward Democrats generally.

See, none of that would effect Democratic Underground, the kind of one-dimensional examination of facts which spawned the Great Chicken Wire Twin Towers Experiment – actually, their crowning glory. I wonder what the reaction would be if I established rules like that around here?

Category: General Whackos, Liberals suck