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Short history/ analysis of PJ

Jen

Senator
I dedicate this to @PhilFish.

There has been talk lately about how we might bring back old posters to PJ and who those posters might be. Most of us want a more lively board on which to post but no one really has any idea how to make that happen. Why did those people leave? What has to change before they return? Or have they just forgotten that PJ exists as they went on to the more glorious o_O boards out there.

Here is my own brief history and analysis of Political Jack. It won't be source supported or deep since I won't be spending days or months doing it............but it will be an overview that might shed light on and give ideas on how to get talk going.

PJ was new and literally exploded into action in September of 2011 when the Slate Fray closed its doors and prolific posters needed a new home. Dave was so desperate for posters that he was paying money for people to post here. Some of us made a little of that money (I did)....... but it had to stop due to the volume of posts Fray posters brought.

Fray posters did bring the posts, but it also brought infighting. The Fray was a brutal place and it brought the brutality here. Over time, some posters grew tired of the rancor and left. Others learned how to deal with it and stayed.

Anyone who comes here is subject to some pretty severe vetting. That includes being called a "sock puppet" for quite a while until it is proven one way or another. The Fray was ripe with sock puppets and I am pretty sure we have them here. Sometimes it matters, most times it doesn't matter and is just a way to insult someone.

Through time, our moderators have tried different tactics to settle things down. More moderation, less moderation....... then more then less......... But posting on PJ is what it is. It takes on a life of its own regardless of the moderation style. Usually harsher moderation makes posters leave. But moderation that's too loose also causes posters to leave. As long as moderation is fair and consistent, it will tend to bring rather than lose posters.

There are old posters who left here that we either love or love to hate. They left for a variety of reasons but ultimately it was that the tone of PJ is not something they choose to deal with. We all have choice. People can't be forced to post here.

Is the wish for PJ that somehow the right and left factions could find common ground and get along at least some of the time? That was possible on the Fray of old. Is that what we want here? In today's political climate, I don't think it's possible at all. There have been posts geared to unite us on some shared interest topics. I recently made a post about Game of Thrones. It fell flat. Others have made posts about movies........ they also fell flat. Posters of PJ don't want to get along. They adamantly do not want it.

Conclusion: Unless and until we can get past the hatred of the "other" side, we are doomed to being a small, brutal political forum. Maybe that's enough.:cool:
 

SW48

Administrator
Staff member
Supporting Member
I dedicate this to @PhilFish.

There has been talk lately about how we might bring back old posters to PJ and who those posters might be. Most of us want a more lively board on which to post but no one really has any idea how to make that happen. Why did those people leave? What has to change before they return? Or have they just forgotten that PJ exists as they went on to the more glorious o_O boards out there.

Here is my own brief history and analysis of Political Jack. It won't be source supported or deep since I won't be spending days or months doing it............but it will be an overview that might shed light on and give ideas on how to get talk going.

PJ was new and literally exploded into action in September of 2011 when the Slate Fray closed its doors and prolific posters needed a new home. Dave was so desperate for posters that he was paying money for people to post here. Some of us made a little of that money (I did)....... but it had to stop due to the volume of posts Fray posters brought.

Fray posters did bring the posts, but it also brought infighting. The Fray was a brutal place and it brought the brutality here. Over time, some posters grew tired of the rancor and left. Others learned how to deal with it and stayed.

Anyone who comes here is subject to some pretty severe vetting. That includes being called a "sock puppet" for quite a while until it is proven one way or another. The Fray was ripe with sock puppets and I am pretty sure we have them here. Sometimes it matters, most times it doesn't matter and is just a way to insult someone.

Through time, our moderators have tried different tactics to settle things down. More moderation, less moderation....... then more then less......... But posting on PJ is what it is. It takes on a life of its own regardless of the moderation style. Usually harsher moderation makes posters leave. But moderation that's too loose also causes posters to leave. As long as moderation is fair and consistent, it will tend to bring rather than lose posters.

There are old posters who left here that we either love or love to hate. They left for a variety of reasons but ultimately it was that the tone of PJ is not something they choose to deal with. We all have choice. People can't be forced to post here.

Is the wish for PJ that somehow the right and left factions could find common ground and get along at least some of the time? That was possible on the Fray of old. Is that what we want here? In today's political climate, I don't think it's possible at all. There have been posts geared to unite us on some shared interest topics. I recently made a post about Game of Thrones. It fell flat. Others have made posts about movies........ they also fell flat. Posters of PJ don't want to get along. They adamantly do not want it.

Conclusion: Unless and until we can get past the hatred of the "other" side, we are doomed to being a small, brutal political forum. Maybe that's enough.:cool:
New posters don't come here because you all on the far fringe right and the far fringe left run them off the first time they post.

Moderation can never be consistent when there are 700 to 1000 posts a day. Everyone here thinks they are moderated differently then the next guy, when in fact moderation on a site that has this many posts is similar to a speeding ticket. There have been years I have sped every day and never got pulled over. There have been years where I've been pulled over twice. Its luck of the draw, what you did, was it reported, who was the mod, etc.

But the posters here never understand that and think only they get modded against...crazy.

I travel the country to 20 cities every year and I don't hear anything about politics, Trump or Obama, or see any protests, racism etc. Quality of living continues to grow for everyone every year if they want it to. But if you read PJ or watch cable talk shows you would think the world is going to hell.

Reality vs tv ratings...
 

Jen

Senator
New posters don't come here because you all on the far fringe right and the far fringe left run them off the first time they post.

Moderation can never be consistent when there are 700 to 1000 posts a day. Everyone here thinks they are moderated differently then the next guy, when in fact moderation on a site that has this many posts is similar to a speeding ticket. There have been years I have sped every day and never got pulled over. There have been years where I've been pulled over twice. Its luck of the draw, what you did, was it reported, who was the mod, etc.

But the posters here never understand that and think only they get modded against...crazy.

I travel the country to 20 cities every year and I don't hear anything about politics, Trump or Obama, or see any protests, racism etc. Quality of living continues to grow for everyone every year if they want it to. But if you read PJ or watch cable talk shows you would think the world is going to hell.

Reality vs tv ratings...
The moderation here is pretty consistent. We have good moderators. They are human so sometimes there will be complaints, but over all..........they are both fair and consistent. That's a plus for PJ.

PJ is a political forum. So that's what is talked about here. In our normal lives, it's rare for politics to be discussed as much as it is on a political forum.

My point was that PJ is what it is. And that's fine. Some people like it and will stay while others will leave. Regarding the heavy-handed vetting..........most people who post on forums have been posting on them for a number of years. The vetting is not a surprise to them. Every forum does its own version of vetting. Some are more brutal than others.

I, personally, welcome all new posters here. If a new poster posts as if he "knows" people here and already dislikes certain posters without having even posted with them, there is a strong suspicion that he/she is a sock. It's cowardly to want to post that way (incognito) but some do it.

I think Political Jack is a good board or I wouldn't be here. Those who left don't think it's a good board or they would've stayed. Those of us who have stayed faced the same adversity as did those who left. Everyone has his/her own tolerance level.
 

Sunset Rose

Mayor
Supporting Member
The moderation here is pretty consistent. We have good moderators. They are human so sometimes there will be complaints, but over all..........they are both fair and consistent. That's a plus for PJ.

PJ is a political forum. So that's what is talked about here. In our normal lives, it's rare for politics to be discussed as much as it is on a political forum.

My point was that PJ is what it is. And that's fine. Some people like it and will stay while others will leave. Regarding the heavy-handed vetting..........most people who post on forums have been posting on them for a number of years. The vetting is not a surprise to them. Every forum does its own version of vetting. Some are more brutal than others.

I, personally, welcome all new posters here. If a new poster posts as if he "knows" people here and already dislikes certain posters without having even posted with them, there is a strong suspicion that he/she is a sock. It's cowardly to want to post that way (incognito) but some do it.

I think Political Jack is a good board or I wouldn't be here. Those who left don't think it's a good board or they would've stayed. Those of us who have stayed faced the same adversity as did those who left. Everyone has his/her own tolerance level.
Even if you suspect someone is a sock, it is bad manners to private message them to ask. Leave them alone. If they are a sock, it will come out. (That's some advice I got from Queenie several years ago. She was right.)
 

Jen

Senator
Even if you suspect someone is a sock, it is bad manners to private message them to ask. Leave them alone. If they are a sock, it will come out. (That's some advice I got from Queenie several years ago. She was right.)
Refresh my memory on why you would think my relationship with another poster is your business. Thanks. :)
 

Sunset Rose

Mayor
Supporting Member
Refresh my memory on why you would think my relationship with another poster is your business. Thanks. :)
It's not my business. Just thought I'd offer you some good advice. You wouldn't want to make yourself look insecure would you?
You: "Are you a sock puppet? Some here think you are Sunset Rose"
New poster: "No, of course not"
You: "OK. Thanks"
LOL! Do you think they are going to tell you whether they are a sock puppet and what their real identity is?o_O
 

Jen

Senator
It's not my business. Just thought I'd offer you some good advice. You wouldn't want to make yourself look insecure would you?
You: "Are you a sock puppet? Some here think you are Sunset Rose"
New poster: "No, of course not"
You: "OK. Thanks"
LOL! Do you think they are going to tell you whether they are a sock puppet and what their real identity is?o_O
You're the one looking insecure.
That's an old subject that was finished long ago. Why you are still hanging on to it.........looks very pathetic. Have a nice day, Rose.;)
 

Sunset Rose

Mayor
Supporting Member
You're the one looking insecure.
That's an old subject that was finished long ago. Why you are still hanging on to it.........looks very pathetic. Have a nice day, Rose.;)
No, ma'am. I am very secure. You have a nice day, too. Thanks for the conversation.:)
 
This site merely reflects the politics of the day. People who spend time on blogs like this are a small sub-group of the overall population. As someone said, most people do not bring up politics on a daily basis but I do beg to differ in terms of the polarization of the nation. It is very real and it is hidden in plain sight in almost every personal interaction anywhere in the nation. There simply is no remedy for this but the total destruction of the current Republican Party and it's re-emergence as a different beast along with the media that supports it. All of us should be aware of the many former die hard conservatives in the public sphere that have left the party due to these extremes. It will continue as this party moves closer and closer to a tyrannical faction. Alabama just passed a bill making it a crime for a doctor to perform a perfectly legal procedure. If you people think this stuff is just about us arguing policy you are kidding yourselves. This is about our nation and our system of governance. If that makes folks mad, so be it. Maybe we need another era of 1960s style upheaval before we rid ourselves of this blemish. I encourage one and all to do anything they can to change the way we operate. If that means some will be insulted or hurt in the process, so be it.
 

Jen

Senator
This site merely reflects the politics of the day. People who spend time on blogs like this are a small sub-group of the overall population. As someone said, most people do not bring up politics on a daily basis but I do beg to differ in terms of the polarization of the nation. It is very real and it is hidden in plain sight in almost every personal interaction anywhere in the nation. There simply is no remedy for this but the total destruction of the current Republican Party and it's re-emergence as a different beast along with the media that supports it. All of us should be aware of the many former die hard conservatives in the public sphere that have left the party due to these extremes. It will continue as this party moves closer and closer to a tyrannical faction. Alabama just passed a bill making it a crime for a doctor to perform a perfectly legal procedure. If you people think this stuff is just about us arguing policy you are kidding yourselves. This is about our nation and our system of governance. If that makes folks mad, so be it. Maybe we need another era of 1960s style upheaval before we rid ourselves of this blemish. I encourage one and all to do anything they can to change the way we operate. If that means some will be insulted or hurt in the process, so be it.
And herein lies the problem. The way I see it the only remedy is the total destruction of the current Democrat Party.

The Democrats started their urgent push to destroy our Constitutional Republic and replace it with Socialist States when Barack Obama was elected. That push began long ago, but with Obama the Democrats found themselves a man who was untouchable. He could do just about anything and anyone who disagreed was successfully called a racist.

Democrats have brought to fruition the acceptance of killing full term already born babies. No explanation needed. If the 9 month gestated "fetus" was suddenly found to be inconvenient, it could be aborted. And if it somehow survived the horrific pain subjected to it, it's tiny spine could be severed after birth or it could be left to die alone in a closet somewhere.

What kind of backlash would anyone expect with a party that openly celebrates baby killing but the sort of backlash that makes all baby killing a crime?

This IS about our nation and our system of governance. And if Democrats insist that their baby killing is just deleting a cluster of cells when that crying baby is right there for us all to see, then yes. Upheaval is what is needed to correct those heinous Democrat practices.

The tyranny is to allow Democrats to choose which of our precious babies can survive to have a life and which ones are just too inconvenient even for the shallowest of reasons to be allowed to live.

The Democrat Party (don't correct me) promises an end to Liberty for all by allowing the murder of its most fragile members. That is the party that needs to disappear. We need to continue to be Americans who believe in Liberty for ALL, including the weakest and tiniest members of society.
 
As for bringing back old posters, especially from The Fray, forget about it. Most of us already know exactly where each one stands on any number of issues. It has been debated ad nauseum for years before we all were exiled to PJ. Many of the top posters from The Fray went on to storied careers as online pundits. Most of the remaining top posters hang around on Reddit but even there we all just ran out of gas. Recently one poster remarked that very few of us even top post anymore. Now this group was probably responsible for more top quality posts on The Fray then any other group yet they too are tapped out. I believe that part of this is just fatigue, none of us can handle the stress of watching Trump and the GOP Senate destroy everything that was common to all of us for most of our lives. Every day it is another outrage, another tweet from the toilet, another insult to an ally, another misstep, another blatantly racist ploy to appeal to white Rural Murica. It's wore us all out. What exactly am I to say to someone who supports this trade war? If you even consider it as sane policy there is no reasoning with you. If you rightees want to resurrect this place, do it by voting for a Democrat. Then you can pick up the pieces of the once mighty GOP and clean the Stygian Stables of this offal.
 

Jen

Senator
Even those who are still posting have run out of gas. Like everything else, Fray posts will run their course and come to a rather messy end. To blame Trump and the GOP is more than a bit myopic. Time marches on. The fringes have become shrill and their voices old and tinny. The young speak in tweets and sound bytes and ignore whatever voluminous gas baggy posts might still be out there. The Pompous ones who see themselves as Statesmen will orate on and on and on, unable to hone their drones into 140 characters or less.


Side note: It is interesting to watch the Left become fascist in behavior....... in that it has an ever increasing list of rules that everyone must abide by or become the pariah of society. How is it that the Left is taking on the habits once reserved for far right? And at the same time, the Right, Trump's Right, is at odds with the Stalwart, sometimes fascist-appearing GOP. Trump's GOP is more a Classic Liberal Party than the Democrat Party is these days. WTH happened?
 
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