The issues with DU participation IMHO, are a conflict between two thoughts on how to advance Liberal

[stevenleser]

ideas.

One group insists that the best way to advance Liberal ideas is to support the most Liberal candidate that is electable at that moment, even if that means minimal progress as long as we prevent things from moving backwards. This group thinks that supporting Democrats in office doing the best they can in difficult circumstances is a good idea because the alternative effectively gives support to the other side by tearing down the popularity of Democrats in office.

The other group insists that the best way to advance Liberal ideas is to support the most Liberal candidate regardless of perceived elect-ability. This group seems to believe that if that results in losses to radical right wing Republicans who will not only implement regressive policies and undo 10-20-30 years of progress but use the bully pulpit to try to convince the masses that regressive policies are the best ones for the country, making progress difficult even after they are gone, that's acceptable as long as we have backed the most liberal candidate possible. This group also seems to think that pillorying elected Democrats doing the best they can in difficult circumstances for not being Liberal enough is a good strategy. By relentlessly pillorying Barack Obama, this group has turned off a large portion of the African American community on DU which indicates, IMHO, not only a complete lack of political savvy, but either a complete lack of awareness of, or simply not caring at all about the sensitivity people of color have to attacks on the first African American president.

The two groups do not seem to be able to coexist here on DU and admins seem loathe to do anything about it. I think the evidence is clear that the website cannot accommodate both groups and continue to be successful. It seems to be turning off large swaths of people from both groups.