if these limits may, at any time, be passed by those intended to be restrained?"
-- Chief Justice John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, 1803
Step 11
by Lee
John Hawkins has posted an interesting list up at RWN on why bloggers succeed or fail. For the most part I think he’s right on the money but I fundamentally disagree with one of his points.
3) They’re not unique enough. There are hundreds and hundreds of right-of-center political blogs out there, many which have been around longer than you. Many of them are also run by very talented bloggers.
So, why should anyone read you? Why are you different? How do you stand out from the crowd? What do you deliver that no one else is putting out there? If you don’t know the answer to that, you better think about it, because there really isn’t much of a market any more for different people saying the same things that are being said on 50 other blogs.
That’s why I suggest to people that they find a niche or a hook they can use to draw people to their work. Be funny, be a specialist, cover something interesting that isn’t being adequately covered elsewhere, or talk about things in a way that other people don’t.
Stand out and you will move up. Blend in and you will never lift off.
I think the polar opposite of this is true. I think that the most successful blogs, of which RWN is certainly one, are so primarily because they parrot a party line. It doesn’t matter what the political position of the blog in question, if you have a reasonable degree of skill and unquestioningly support a party line you’ll be successful. With all due respect to John, is his blog really that different than Hot Air or Ace or Malkin or any of the other blogs which primarily exist to support and defend, without question, Bush and the GOP?
People primarily go to blogs to reinforce that which they already believe. John is absolutely right about point 1, blogging takes talent and skill. You have to be able to make intelligent observations and persuasive arguments. Most people don’t have this ability, which is why most blogs fail. But the majority of blog readers aren’t looking for challenging viewpoints, they’re looking for someone who agrees with them, who is better at making arguments than they are, so that they can then take the blogger’s argument and use it against their friends and coworkers who hold opposing views.
In my own case, I began this blog because I was a frustrated conservative living in the Bay Area, the asshole of the United States, the Mecca of socialism. I voted for Bush, I supported him, I supported the war, and I argued strenuously in favor of the GOP. However, as time went on, and the revelations about this administration began to surface, I had to make a choice—do I continue to support a party and a president who are becoming anathema to my views, or do I stay true to what I actually believe? So when Bush turned into a big-government liberal I turned against him. When he and his cohorts began their attempt to infuse fundamentalist Christianity into every aspect of American life I turned against him. When I learned just how incompetently planned and managed the Iraq War was I turned against him. When I learned of Bush’s largely successful attempt to subvert the Constitution through the use of signing statements I turned against him. When I learned of the mountain of bullshit and outright lies that he has been spewing onto the people of this country I turned against him.
At the peak of this blog’s success, about five years ago, I had between 4,000 and 5,000 visitors a day. I was raking in money through Blogads. It was when I stopped toeing the party line that readership began to drop off. I was accused of turning into a super stealth liberal. I was selling out. Longtime readers stopped coming. Readership plummeted by 4/5, and for the past year or two I’ve been getting about 1,100 visitors a day—more than the majority of bloggers but far fewer than in the past. Lest anyone think I’m full of shit, as of this writing my front page has been viewed 13,183,176 times, and this is after two major server crashes which required a reset of hits, so I’d be willing to bet the number is closer to 20 million. (Nor does this count the hits I got when I was still on Blogspot.)
The downturn in readers coincides EXACTLY with the point that I stopped being a GOP sycophant.
Not that I particularly care. I’ve stated a million times that I’m far more interested in saying whatever the hell I like than I am in the fame or the glory. In his post John writes, “[A]lthough I’m no Michelle Malkin or Power Line, I have done well enough to blog for a living, so I must be doing something right.” Now, when you have that much money on the line, isn’t there going to be a temptation to decide to spike stories which don’t agree with what your readers expect? John blogs for a living, I blog because I enjoy it, and because I’m an egomaniacal prick who thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. This liberates me from having to kowtow to a particular viewpoint just so I can make my car payment next month. I’m not saying that John does this, only that when you’re a professional blogger you become a media entity, and you become subject to the exact same tendencies for slant and spin that the ever-vilified liberal media is accused of obeying.
John, for some reason I cannot begin to fathom, is a huge fan of the transvestite harpy Ann Coulter. She’s a bestselling author, frequent pundit on talk shows, and has an incredible skill for tucking her nutsack into her panties. Her arguments aren’t particularly clever or inventive or insightful, they’re funny and vulgar and manage to blame everything wrong in the world on liberals. Controversy is what sells, blind partisan lust is what attracts viewers and readers, and the blog world is absolutely no different. When it’s a choice between profit and integrity, the latter usually struggles under the weight of the former.
I have no such influences. I have nothing to lose, other than readers, and as those of you who have been here for a while can attest, I’m not afraid of telling people to go fuck themselves when I think they deserve it. I’d rather keep my honesty and integrity and know that what I write is completely free of any external pressures than be successful and make a crapload of money writing solely what other people want to read. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be as successful as RWN or Malkin or Powerline. I’d love to be able to make a living blogging, but unless you’re being paid to blog by a magazine (such as Sullivan is with the Atlantic) the food on your table depends entirely on how many people you can get to click on your page, and the best way to do that is to be as partisan as possible, regardless of the truth or your own feelings.
If you want to be a successful blogger do everything that John says. But make sure you pick a political party and work feverishly to support damn near everything they say, think, claim or do. Occasionally pick an area where you disagree just so you can claim the veneer of independence. Weave intricate conspiracy theories about media bias, and always blame everything on the opposing party or ideology. The people need you to tell them what to think.
Comments
I just want to say i came to you blog because it is the exact opposite of everything I was brought up to beleive by my whacko far left mother. While I dont agree with alot that you say, I love seeing another viewpoitn to an issue. I have learned alot here, havehad some fun, and had to learn humility as well. Thanks for everything and keep it up.
Just see if you can get Manwhore to head back to his Home planet;)
Off-topic, but I just HAD to post this. Who said the Bush administration didn’t have a sense of humor? Bush: Cheney to Press for Mideast Peace
Bush said Monday in the Oval Office that Cheney would “reassure people that the United States is committed to a vision of peace in the Middle East.”
OMG, my gut hurts from laughing so hard…
I think the polar opposite of this is true. I think that the most successful blogs, of which RWN is certainly one, are so primarily because they parrot a party line. It doesn’t matter what the political position of the blog in question, if you have a reasonable degree of skill and unquestioningly support a party line you’ll be successful.
I’m with Hawkins on this one. If there are thousands of blogs out there that “tout the party line” why are a few very successful and most suck balls? Its not the party affiliation that provides the hook, its the entertainment value. You can espose any position you like but if you don’t entertain, you die.
People primarily go to blogs to reinforce that which they already believe.
I wouldn’t put too much stock in this either. Maybe initially this works to get the eyeballs but if you can’t deliver, there are many others that can.
But the majority of blog readers aren’t looking for challenging viewpoints, they’re looking for someone who agrees with them, who is better at making arguments than they are, so that they can then take the blogger’s argument and use it against their friends and coworkers who hold opposing views.
In speaking only for myself, this is NOT the reason I go here. I agree with you probably on 1 in 3 posts so I’m certainly not looking to you to frame my arguments for me.
The one area you glossed our is the participation of the readership, thats the selling point for me. I have sufficently jerked you off in the past concerning your writing abilities so in that area I’m covered, but its a handful of other readers here that provides the hook. The value of “the regulars” cannot be over looked. Consider that what makes a positive and succesful thread is not you voicing an opinion and the usual lapdogs all fall into line with their ascent, the value is the detractors and dissenters that provide an argument to your argument, then off we go.
The downturn in readers coincides EXACTLY with the point that I stopped being a GOP sycophant.
This is trickier. I have no doubt the your BDS turned some people away. Many of your points were valid but I think you felt embarresed at being snookered so badly (as all of us were) and went vehemently 180 to the point where I expected you to blame the traffic jam you were stuck in the that particular morning on Bush.
John, for some reason I cannot begin to fathom, is a huge fan of the transvestite harpy Ann Coulter.
Believe it or not, there are people out there just as smart, just as capable as you that do not think like you and do not hold the same positions. You don’t have to agree with somebody to like their writing or think they are entertaining, different strokes, and all that.
If you want to be a successful blogger do everything that John says.
It takes more than that. Given the thousands of political blogs out there, in order to compete and keep eyeballs you have to distinct your blog from others.
I’ll be honest, I look at maybe 2 or 3 other blogs maybe once ot twice a week, yours get my hits several times a day. To get a nonbeliever like myself to get that participation requires an ability that you should acknowlege.
Actually, this blog also goes lock-step with a set of beliefs. It has morphed into an anti-religion, bash-at-all-costs conservative/libertarian screed where the contributing editors all believe essentially the same thing and essentially hold anyone of faith who believes that laws should be based on religious truths are stupid and/or uniformed.
Well, I’d say that while there’s probably an element of truth that it’s not completely accurate. I think that, if you go back and read the first year or two of this blog, there wasn’t as much of an animus towards religion. But this was before Terri Schiavo, before all the other issues that we’ve discussed countless times on this blog.
I always find it interesting that secular people are described by the Christian right as being “aggressive.” Last time I checked, atheists didn’t go door-to-door trying to get people to convert to atheism. Atheists don’t say “I would never vote for a Christian.” I’m perfectly content to let religious people do whatever the hell they want, provided they show me the same degree of courtesy.
Given the degree to which religion is infused in politics in the US, as I turned away from the GOP their overt religiosity was part and parcel of that decision. As such, I attack religion vociferously—and here’s the important part—when someone else first makes it a political issue.
There are two types of religious arguments on this blog. The first is about the logic of religious faith. The second is about the pervasive influence of religious faith, particularly evangelical Christianity, on the secular public sphere. The two are not the same. I can sit here and say that I think your religion makes as much sense as the tooth fairy, while at the same time vigorously defending your constitutional right to believe and worship as you please.
Well, I’d say that while there’s probably an element of truth that it’s not completely accurate. I think that, if you go back and read the first year or two of this blog, there wasn’t as much of an animus towards religion. But this was before Terri Schiavo, before all the other issues that we’ve discussed countless times on this blog.
Amen.
The one area you glossed our is the participation of the readership, thats the selling point for me. I have sufficently jerked you off in the past concerning your writing abilities so in that area I’m covered, but its a handful of other readers here that provides the hook. The value of “the regulars” cannot be over looked. Consider that what makes a positive and succesful thread is not you voicing an opinion and the usual lapdogs all fall into line with their ascent, the value is the detractors and dissenters that provide an argument to your argument, then off we go.
I think that’s a great point, and you’re absolutely correct. I think that’s one of the things that makes this site so great, is that we have a diverse group of people. If you go to other blogs, take RWN, you’ll find that most of the commenters agree with his positions. You’ll find that they’re either liberal trolls or gung-ho Bush types. The opinions here are wide and varied, and through a process of elimination (almost like survival of the fittest) the people who have hung in here are usually well-informed, able to make excellent arguments, and are what makes this such a great place to talk politics and current events.
Atheists don’t say “I would never vote for a Christian.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA........what a crack up.
Do you realize how many times I read right here that someone was not going to vote for Huckabee because he was a Christian? Now before you go into a tirade about all the other reasons, yes, there were other reasons, but they were not brought up. I can count al least 5 times I read about this being a disqualifier.
Believe it or not, there are people out there just as smart, just as capable as you that do not think like you and do not hold the same positions. You don’t have to agree with somebody to like their writing or think they are entertaining, different strokes, and all that.
That’s true. But there are always limits to that. Idolizing Ann Coulter is like a leftie idolizing Michael Moore. John not only likes Ann’s books, he has also actually quoted her as an authoritative source in articles he’s written. (See my evisceration of one such post here.) In a similar manner, if someone were to defend socialized medicine by quoting Michael Moore I’d immediately declare them a fool. John is clearly quite intelligent and able of making good arguments in support of what he believes, I just think it’s sad that he’s so partisan that he can see what a fucking hack Ann Coulter is.
Do you realize how many times I read right here that someone was not going to vote for Huckabee because he was a Christian?
No, we said we wouldn’t vote for Huckabee because he was a fundamentalist Christian lunatic who has no respect for the Constitution. Without exception, every politician I have ever voted for in my life claims to be a Christian.
There’s a world of difference between “I believe in God” and “I believe that America is destined to be God’s Paradise on Earth, and that it is our job as Christians to use the political process to shape the Constitution to be more in line with His Word.”
Do you realize how many times I read right here that someone was not going to vote for Huckabee because he was a Christian? Now before you go into a tirade about all the other reasons, yes, there were other reasons, but they were not brought up. I can count al least 5 times I read about this being a disqualifier.
Now, let’s be fair, rich. Even I toned it down particuarly because I took a shine to you and a couple of other readers like Repmom. I’m not trying to be condescending, but Huckabee jumped the shark for me when I linked to that speech he did where he blatantly called for amending the constitution to be in line with God’s word.
We were both there for that. He’s 100 octane theocrat, and powerful enough to scare even other conservatives away from him.
No, we said we wouldn’t vote for Huckabee because he was a fundamentalist Christian lunatic who has no respect for the Constitution
No,thats why YOU wouldn’t vote for Huckabee. The usual pattern was that you would post a thread not flattering of Bush or his leanings towards fundamentalism and the comments would be peppered with ,"yeah, thats why I’m not voting for Huckabee”, without any dots being connected that Huck espouses the same beliefs or that he falls lock step into that behavior.
I have voiced my beliefs here on all of his other short comings, to compensate for the lack thereof in other people writing him off.
Now, let’s be fair, rich. Even I toned it down particuarly because I took a shine to you and a couple of other readers like Repmom. I’m not trying to be condescending, but Huckabee jumped the shark for me when I linked to that speech he did where he blatantly called for amending the constitution to be in line with God’s word.
Any posts or comments distainfull of Huck that provided specific reasons, like you did, is certainly fair, but to say that some here have not popped off with a Huck slam only because of his faith is beyond disingenuous.
Any posts or comments distainfull of Huck that provided specific reasons, like you did, is certainly fair, but to say that some here have not popped off with a Huck slam only because of his faith is beyond disingenuous.
I ended up liking the guy personally more than any other candidate. If he could have run his campaign on his likability and straightforwardness, I might have voted for him. He had a human side that many politicians do not seem to have.
However, a good Huck slam is well worth it’s weight in RTFLC Christ-Punching gold. ;-)
However, a good Huck slam is well worth it’s weight in RTFLC Christ-Punching gold. ;-)
It was too easy of a target. Its like being the in the 8th grade and stealing the lunch money of all the 6th graders.
but Huckabee jumped the shark for me when I linked to that speech he did where he blatantly called for amending the constitution to be in line with God’s word.
I had my reasons for not voting for him before this came out but I see no reason for giving this too much weight and can easily be dismissed as pandering to his base (much like ripping NAFTA to a crowd full of union reps, then calling Canada telling them that you were just grandstanding).
I had my reasons for not voting for him before this came out but I see no reason for giving this too much weight and can easily be dismissed as pandering to his base (much like ripping NAFTA to a crowd full of union reps, then calling Canada telling them that you were just grandstanding).
It certainly builds Thrill’s case for moral equivilance on the left. They have a religion all right, and whatever thier preachers do is excusable somehow.
In that instance we both see the flip side of the coin.
I don’t fall straight in line with the republicans because I am a conservative and they have turned out to not believe in those values only slightly less than the dems.
I have almost quit reading a couple of times because of some out right statements of hate against people with Christian faith. Padders hoping we all die off, Ed Kline calling for executions etc.
But, I come back because I think you try to be fair and I want to learn from as many viewpoints as I can. Most posters on here make me think because they support their arguments with facts and sound analysis.
There is no denying though that the site has pitched left though. When one of the guest posters (among others) get swept into Obamamania, refuse to vote for a “old white guy” even though the old white guy is somewhat conservative and Obama isn’t at all....well, what other conclusion can you reach?
No small government conservative could ever vote for Obama - he is the polar opposite of libertarian beliefs yet we see articles on a regular bases praising his speaking abilities and posters stating he would be good for the country. Bullshit.
At the peak of this blog’s success, about five years ago, I had between 4,000 and 5,000 visitors a day. I was raking in money through Blogads. It was when I stopped toeing the party line that readership began to drop off. I was accused of turning into a super stealth liberal. I was selling out. Longtime readers stopped coming. Readership plummeted by 4/5, and for the past year or two I’ve been getting about 1,100 visitors a day—more than the majority of bloggers but far fewer than in the past. Lest anyone think I’m full of shit, as of this writing my front page has been viewed 13,183,176 times, and this is after two major server crashes which required a reset of hits, so I’d be willing to bet the number is closer to 20 million. (Nor does this count the hits I got when I was still on Blogspot.)
You I am going to go more with when you suddenly wrote hardcore anti-christian articles for the better part of a year. I also seem to remember you arguing so much over religion and evolution with readers that you “quit” for a day or so. Thankfully I couldn’t care less about a persons religious view. However I do think a large portion of your former audience was driven away with you new vitriol towards Christianity.
I’ve visited this site for as long as I can remember for two main reasons. The most important is that Lee’s writing and arguments were always articulate, well founded, and intriguing (even If i disagreed with much of them). This site is also one of the most diverse I’ve ever seen. Most right wing websites (as you said) have very little differences of opinion between readers.
But, I come back because I think you try to be fair and I want to learn from as many viewpoints as I can.
I know it doesn’t seem like it sometimes, and I admit that I enjoy a good Christ Punch™ as much as anyone, but at the core I do try to be as fair as possible.
You I am going to go more with when you suddenly wrote hardcore anti-christian articles for the better part of a year. I also seem to remember you arguing so much over religion and evolution with readers that you “quit” for a day or so.
That was poorly written on my part. It was more “I quit” trying to convince people, not that I was quitting writing the blog. I needed a break, and the only way I could do so was to take a few days off and calm down.
While I’ve certainly gotten into it with the various Christ-punchers here (no, really?), what made me a regular reader of this blog was Lee’s positions on the Schaivo incident. A die-hard Republican classmate in my MBA program introduced me to the blog a few months before that happened. At the time, I didn’t find it all that compelling - same stuff, different day. I would look in every couple of weeks, mostly when he’d mention something. Then came the Schaivo incident, and my response was “holy crap, he actually gets it”. I’ve been a faithful reader since then and a contributor since last year.
The Christ-punching gets on my nerves, although the debates around it generally don’t (with certain obvious exceptions). But for the most part, the libertarian concepts espoused on this blog aren’t very far from my own. This blog definitely isn’t “right thinking” any more, because the current definition of “right” is religious conservative, and fiscal conservatism is fairly centrist (and hence not very visible) these days.
I’m a Christian who is as anti-Huckabee as anyone here. To the point that if McCain picks him for VP, I will have a moral dilemma that will probably lead to a nervous breakdown (McCain/Huckabee vs Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama is the stuff of nightmares).
There is no denying though that the site has pitched left though. When one of the guest posters (among others) get swept into Obamamania, refuse to vote for a “old white guy” even though the old white guy is somewhat conservative and Obama isn’t at all....well, what other conclusion can you reach?
No small government conservative could ever vote for Obama - he is the polar opposite of libertarian beliefs yet we see articles on a regular bases praising his speaking abilities and posters stating he would be good for the country. Bullshit.
Here’s my take on the whole Obama thing. For the first time in my life there is a chance to vote for someone who is ACTUALLY DIFFERENT than everyone else. I think it’s a product of the feeling among so many people in this country, shared both by people like me and many people on the left, that neither party is actually serving their interests. Everyone knows about McCain. Everyone knows Hillary. They’re part of “The Machine™”
Obama, while obviously a politician, is not part of it yet. He will be, eventually, like all politicians do. They come into office with ideas on how to chance things, and then the big cock of reality gets slapped across their nose. He doesn’t seem to have reached that critical level o corruption to where you earn enough points for an honorary membership in the the Clinton and Bush families.
There are a lot of people, like me, who would truly be interested in the historical significance of voting for a a young black man. I’m atr the point where, even though I disagree with everything he stands for, I’d be willing to let him have the next four years and see what he can come up with. We know what Hillary and John-Boy are going to do. But they’re the two white politicos with a truck holding their dirty laundry, whereas Obama is a face that nobody has ever seen.
I think it would be an honor, to be honest, to be able to say for the rest of my life that I voted for the country’s first black president. While I don’t agree with his policies, there isn’t anything he could so worse than Bush, only in different areas.
I’d be totally fine if Obama were the eventual winner. If Hillary is elected I’m going to stay here until she’s voted out.
Here’s my take on the whole Obama thing. For the first time in my life there is a chance to vote for someone who is ACTUALLY DIFFERENT than everyone else. I think it’s a product of the feeling among so many people in this country, shared both by people like me and many people on the left, that neither party is actually serving their interests. Everyone knows about McCain. Everyone knows Hillary. They’re part of “The Machine™”
I am a few nothches to the left of Lee in philosophy, but I completely understand how he came to write this and most everything else he writes. I witnessed the “divorce” from Drumwaster, et al, but some of them were good riddance. DW would run you around in an argument until you just couldn’t give a shit about it anymore, had a dog to bathe or kid to feed, and left. He would then prance around and declare himself the “winner”. Lee’s sloppy seconds still have a circle jerk going on over at his blog. Blech, if I read on a blog, I want to hear something new.
I kinda miss Pooch, though.
There are a lot of people, like me, who would truly be interested in the historical significance of voting for a a young black man. I’m atr the point where, even though I disagree with everything he stands for, I’d be willing to let him have the next four years and see what he can come up with.
Not just the choice for guilty white liberals anymore, apparently.
Lee, I’m sorry you feel that way but this gives some insight into how Obamania has spread over the world.
When I said ‘they’ I meant the foreigners who take any opportunity to American bash. They are relentless in approach, but one conclusion about them can be made. They all hate America regardless of Bush. Anti-Americanism has become a culture. I saw it, had conversations about it, and lived it while in Europe.
The funniest dynamic was that hatred actually veils the idea they wish they were as cool as we are. Last night I was streaming Swedish ganster rap, and had a chuckle. If you wnet over there right now, they would chastise the shit out of you for being an American.
That wouldn’t stop them from also secretly adoring you for living in the coolest country in the world.
BTW English expats are not good freinds. I dumped all of mine living abroad. You’d play hell finding one that wouldn’t spend his time giving you a complex about your nationality.
When I said ‘they’ I meant the foreigners who take any opportunity to American bash. They are relentless in approach, but one conclusion about them can be made. They all hate America regardless of Bush. Anti-Americanism has become a culture. I saw it, had conversations about it, and lived it while in Europe.
This was not my experience 10 years ago. People loved Americans and I was treated like royalty in a few places. Even Paris, long thought to be anti-American, was quite friendly as long as you realized you were actually not in Paris.
Even Paris, long thought to be anti-American, was quite friendly as long as you realized you were actually not in Paris.
Shit! As long as you realized you were actually in Paris.
This was not my experience 10 years ago. People loved Americans and I was treated like royalty in a few places. Even Paris, long thought to be anti-American, was quite friendly as long as you realized you were actually not in Paris.
You’re duped fairly easy, then. BTW if you told a Frenchman to put the car battery on the left, they would put it on the right just because.
I wouldn’t take much stock in the French attitude towards anything. I saw a French ‘documentary’ while living in Sweden about how fast food companies steal dogs and cats from Rescue Centers and grind them into hamburgers.....And yes, they were serious.
I saw a French ‘documentary’ while living in Sweden about how fast food companies steal dogs and cats from Rescue Centers and grind them into hamburgers.....And yes, they were serious.
I’m not sure of the significance of that. I got coffee exactly the way I wanted it. Bread, the same. People were friendly, MW. I can only speculate why you would be suspicious of that.
I’m not sure of the significance of that. I got coffee exactly the way I wanted it. Bread, the same. People were friendly, MW. I can only speculate why you would be suspicious of that.
A two week jaunt in Paris DOES NOT mean you know how they think, and I explained to you above why they were nice to you.
Everything in France is the opposite, you’re going to have to trust me flogg. I’ve lived over there collectively for years.
the same holds true in england. The English love nothing more than to get a rise, but to say they were at some point ‘on our side’ is preposturous. We are ‘allies’, that does not mean they are loyalists.
WE have only one ally that is a loyalist ally, and consequently it is the ally that the left wants us to divorce ourselves from.
Lee, I agree with everything you said on Obama. We know we’re going to get extreme liberal shit with Clinton. McCain may have some spending discipline and will reign in some of the excesses of the GWOT, which is why I support him right now. But there’s a part of me that’s willing to give Obama a chance. I like some of the people he’s surrounding himself with, like Goolsbee.
I also agree that our readers improve the blog. I like that when I post something, I don’t get a bunch of “you rock! liberals suck!” posts. When people disagree with me, it makes me think harder about my positions.
Do you realize how many times I read right here that someone was not going to vote for Huckabee because he was a Christian?
Not simply because he’s a Christian but specifically for being a Christian who believes in literal creation and who openly says he wants to bring the Constitution in line with “God’s law”.
He’s a fucking nut. A nice nut but a fucking nut nonetheless.
Notice how all the other candidates were/are Christian (including, arguably, Romney) and I never disqualified any of them based on their faith. Although Romney and the magic underware was hard to swallow, I never saw him as a threat to liberty like Huckabee.
This is just more of the Christian persecution complex. I had the Jehovah’s Witnesses by my door twice in two weeks and another visit after I told them I was an atheist. Exactly who is hassling who?
Everything in France is the opposite, you’re going to have to trust me flogg. I’ve lived over there collectively for years.
I knew people that did 2 year tours in France and loved it there. It was the Swiss that were hard to get along with and arrogant. If the Parisians pissed in my coffee, they have the best tasting piss in the world ;-).
The downturn in readers coincides EXACTLY with the point that I stopped being a GOP sycophant.
Well, it’s because you were no longer offering anything unique. We can get some good old fashioned Bush hatred anywhere.
Speaking only for myself, these are the things that make this blog tiresome:
1. The relentless attacks on all other conservative figures (you couldn’t even resist doing one in this post) with the sole exception of Andrew Sullivan
2. The predictable Christ-punching. Conservatives are typically very religious. Reagan understood this and built a great coalition, he didn’t use his talents to just rip on people.
3. The “everything in the world is Bush’s fault” mentality.
Now, that said; the things I like:
1. The chance to argue with a unique cross-section of the political blogosphere along with a bizarre cast of characters in the commenters. I enjoy being one of them. This “community” of ours may have shrunk in recent years, but it is still a community.
2. Even if I disagree with Lee and the contributing editors a great deal of the time, I realize that their positions are usually well-reasoned (assuming that they aren’t BDS-motivated) and informed. When you argue here, you had better know what you’re talking about before you start an argument because you likely will get embarrassed
3. Lee is extremely entertaining. Even when I hate what he writes, it pisses me off when I laugh so damn hard at how he writes it. Whether or not I get his views, I get his jokes.
4. This blog is very well-written and that makes it look almost professional. Even if I disagree with what’s being written, I can appreciate that the arguments are articulate and clear.
Also, I think that Lee is just saying nice things about Obama because he thinks that blogging during a socialist presidency will be good for rebuilding the readership. I look forward to the post-BDS RTFLC.
Notice how all the other candidates were/are Christian (including, arguably, Romney) and I never disqualified any of them based on their faith. Although Romney and the magic underware was hard to swallow, I never saw him as a threat to liberty like Huckabee.
You guys dropped Ron Paul like a bloody tampon after defending him for months because of his Christian views. Where was the threat to “liberty” there?
When one of the guest posters (among others) get swept into Obamamania, refuse to vote for a “old white guy” even though the old white guy is somewhat conservative and Obama isn’t at all....well, what other conclusion can you reach?
No small government conservative could ever vote for Obama
I assume you’re talking about me.
It’s like this:
I would love smaller government. I would also love for the government never to have gotten as big as it is. NONE of the candidates are going to shrink government. They have no interest in doing so. McCain may muster a few scraps to certain parts of the base and Clinton and Obama will certainly grow it but it’s going to grow anyway.
We are also not getting out of Iraq any time soon. However, since I am now fully aware of what a giant fucking mistake that was, I want to get out as soon as possible. McCain won’t be out in his term. Obama at least supports getting out sooner than later. Fuck Hillary.
Yep, I’m swept up in Obamamania. I’m an Obamanaut! I can vote for whomever the fuck I please and do so with full knowledge that that candidate is not 100% in line with my beliefs. Of course, I’ve never had a candidate with a real shot that was. It simply doesn’t happen that way. And, Obama is not yet the nominee.
1. The relentless attacks on all other conservative figures (you couldn’t even resist doing one in this post) with the sole exception of Andrew Sullivan
Who gagging and swallowing Sully?
You guys dropped Ron Paul like a bloody tampon after defending him for months because of his Christian views. Where was the threat to “liberty” there?
Ewwwww! Prefer finding a roach in the food, but that’s just me. ;-)
When one of the guest posters (among others) get swept into Obamamania, refuse to vote for a “old white guy” even though the old white guy is somewhat conservative and Obama isn’t at all....well, what other conclusion can you reach?
Let’s also not forget the recent phenomena of using George Soros-funded organizations as sources for “facts”. That one in particular is disturbing.
Ewwwww! Prefer finding a roach in the food, but that’s just me. ;-)
Found a palmetto bug in a business class lunch on United. They gave me a first class dinner and a free ticket. Too bad I wasn’t interested in either after finding a 3-inch cockroach in my dinner.
Hey, Gripeboy! Vote for Obama!
I much prefer Muzz Skillings to Doug Wimbush.
Let’s also not forget the recent phenomena of using George Soros-funded organizations as sources for “facts”. That one in particular is disturbing.
Oh, so the Bush administration didn’t exaggerate the threat huh? Did you find the WMDs or something?
Oh, so the Bush administration didn’t exaggerate the threat huh? Did you find the WMDs or something?
Exaggerate? No. Rely on faulty intelligence? Totally.
However, when you start throwing in with the kind of people who say that “600,000 Iraqis” have been killed by the Iraq War on a “conservative” blog, you’re going to catch hell for it. You should know that.
I much prefer Muzz Skillings to Doug Wimbush.
Well, be careful. In case you didn’t know, Thrill is actually Obama. There’s a grand conspiracy to vote in a conservative to wage World War for no reason, and Thrill’s the guy to do it.
Why do you think we’ve built his Cult of Personality the way we did? Hating Bush is trendy, and the day he’s sworn in I’ll wipe Thrill’s make up off, and we’ll go MWHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH! and press the button.
We’re going all out. I get the honors of locking all Arabs up and torturing them, because I want thier oil.
It’s a joke, BTW. Try not to take it all too seriously. ;)
Hey, Gripeboy! Vote for Obama!
Man, what a horrible screen capture. Made my eyes hurt.
I loved that song when it came out.
It’s a joke, BTW. Try not to take it all too seriously. ;)
That one I get. :-)
Why do you think we’ve built his Cult of Personality the way we did? Hating Bush is trendy, and the day he’s sworn in I’ll wipe Thrill’s make up off, and we’ll go MWHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH! and press the button.
I just wish the Clinton campaign website would quit digitally altering my pic to make me look blacker than I am. Seriously, I look like one of those black guys that even Jesse Jackson says he’s afraid of.
You just know the race card or the gender card is going to get played big time before this thing is over. It’s a given.
I just wish the Clinton campaign website would quit digitally altering my pic to make me look blacker than I am. Seriously, I look like one of those black guys that even Jesse Jackson says he’s afraid of.
They’ve also fallen into our clever ruse. We make Hillary look like a boneheaded bull-dike, and you’re oh so cute and dreamy in your “Black Like Me” (That’s a pun for Obama!) make up.
That way when we have a bad make up Day Kos Kids can have hours of entertainment making up conspiracy theories… Gotta feed tripe to the masses, or whatever Hitler used to say..
We’re almost there! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
For the first time in my life there is a chance to vote for someone who is ACTUALLY DIFFERENT than everyone else.
And how exactly is he different from Hillary, or Kerry, or Kennedy, or Edwards? OK, he is even more liberal than all these characters, there is the difference.
I am just amazed (this goes for you to Hal) that anyone who embraces even an inkling of a libertarian philosophy could think that a big time liberal who will literally balloon government programs and government spending can think that this is in any way consistent with that.
I think manwhore is right, you are a guilty white liberal, thats the only thing I can think of why you would betray your core beliefs.
I think it would be an honor, to be honest, to be able to say for the rest of my life that I voted for the country’s first black president.
Gee, where were you when Jess Jackson was running? How about Alan Keyes? Where was the love then?
This statement is so vapid. So diversity is your mind is only judged on the outside? Diversity of ideas and beliefs is what conservatives embrace, for liberals, they could all parrot the same clap trap but as long as they LOOK different, thats all that counts.
For any of you people out there that think you are conservative, a Obama vote is a total capitulation of these core beliefs, live with yourself after that.
Gee, where were you when Jess Jackson was running? How about Alan Keyes? Where was the love then?
Those two never really had an actual shot.
I’ve stopped defining myself by all these political labels like liberal, conservative, libertarian. They’ve all been stripped of any actual meaning. Call me whatever you want but don’t expect to convince me with fear that I’ll regret my vote, which has yet to be cast BTW.
I’ve stopped defining myself by all these political labels like liberal, conservative, libertarian. They’ve all been stripped of any actual meaning. Call me whatever you want but don’t expect to convince me with fear that I’ll regret my vote, which has yet to be cast BTW.
Well, Neo, since you’ve un-plugged from the matrix, how about you entertain some people’s opinions even if they invlove the dreaded name of Bush the “Cock Monkey”.
Something tells me you didn’t take the ‘red’ pill.
BTW, Lee. I don’t think I mentioned the genius of the title. It’s pure genius.
When I said ‘they’ I meant the foreigners who take any opportunity to American bash. They are relentless in approach, but one conclusion about them can be made. They all hate America regardless of Bush. Anti-Americanism has become a culture. I saw it, had conversations about it, and lived it while in Europe.
Strange, I spent most of my childhood, y’know, living in Europe, and there was no widespread hatred of America. There wasn’t during the Clinton administration either.
Hmmmm. What happened after the Clinton years that might make people hate America? Wow, what a head-scratcher that is.
I understand wanting to make history. I also truly mean that I think you try to be fair when dealing with religious topics (it is hard I know and we all fail sometimes).
But, having said all that and knowing that the republicans aren’t really small government believers at the top (some at the grass roots still are), I cannot believe or fathom a true libertarian even considering Obama. He is the exact opposite of what we believe in. If I want to feel better about myself I do something for charity. If I want to feel better about the US I read about the good things we as a nation and individual citizens do.
I DO NOT vote for the latest feel good liberal just because he uses “hope” and change. He wants to raise taxes substantially, he wants socialized medicine, he is in favor of continued and even more aggressive wealth redistribution.
I am truly stunned that such a staunch libertarian (which I think you are) is thinking of voting for this socialist anti-individual candidate. C’mon Lee, Obama’s unrealistic view of the world sounds good, but we all know BETTER. The world doesn’t work the way he speaks. The sooner we fight against this feel good fluff, the better we as a nation will become.
We were “snookered” by “W” because we thought he WAS a conservative. He wasn’t - he is a liberal in conservative clothing (but worse because he just cuts taxes without cutting spending). We got pissed at him for MANY reasons, but not the least of which is that he doesn’t have a conservative fiscal bone in his body. To go from hating the man because he isn’t truly a conservative to voting for someone who rails against conservative ideals is beyond my understanding.
And GripeBoy, you are correct. The “old white men” shot was at you. You can vote for anyone the fuck you please. But please, do not add in the “who isn’t 100% in line with my beliefs.” He isn’t even close. He actually hates what you believe - again, you talk of being an individual, individual rights, capitalism etc, and Obama speaks against these ideals. He isn’t even close to within “100% of you beliefs,” so don’t try to make it sound as if you are voting for a moderate who just disagrees with you on a couple of topics. He is the polar opposite of what I think you have stated you are - a rugged individual, take care of his own, freedom loving libertarian.
I am truly stunned that such a staunch libertarian (which I think you are) is thinking of voting for this socialist anti-individual candidate.
I’m not. I never said I was. I did say, however, that if a Democrat were to win the election I would prefer it be Obama out of all the other candidates, especially Hillary Clinton. My vote is wasted anyway, Texas will go for McCain, so it doesn’t really matter who I vote for, or whether I even vote at all.
Ok, sorry I misunderstood. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to actually vote FOR instead of the lesser of two evils?
Keep on being Lee and I will keep coming back!
Last time I checked, atheists didn’t go door-to-door trying to get people to convert to atheism.
They don’t need to, as they have the secular liberal Universities to indoctrinate our kids with their agenda, along with the liberal media to subtly (and not so subtly) disseminate their views to the masses. University professors at liberal, mainstream Universities tend to be atheists, and people like Richard Dawkins will gleefully tell you that atheists tend to be better educated than your garden-variety knuckle-dragger, regardless of whether that’s actually true.
The reason I read what Lee writes is because his views aren’t first fed through a partisian political filter. I can’t judge what Lee might say about anything based on his politics. So many bloggers tow the party line to the point you can figure out their stand on every issue beforehand. How fucking tedious and uninspired is such “paint by numbers” dialogue these days that passes for political discourse. Lee will always stand out because it is obvious he thinks for himself. Many of you share the same attribute and that is why this blog is so worth the time I put in to it to keep up. It is also helpful that the responses to perceived stupidity have been toned down some. I’m sure fear of being called a “stupid cockfuck” may hold some people back who have controversial views! The best part of it all is the discussions are good. This place has a plethora of smart people and I’ve learned to respect opposing views because they are so well argued.
As for Obama, Lee hit his appeal on the head. He’s not part of the establishment yet. Hillary represent everything about “politics as usual” that I want to see changed.
My vote is wasted anyway, Texas will go for McCain, so it doesn’t really matter who I vote for, or whether I even vote at all.
And Oregon is all about the Obama. The state will most certainly go blue.
There’s always my old Libertarian protest vote for which I’ll get thrashed for having “thrown it away”. The only way I won’t get thrashed here is if I toe the GOP line and vote McCain.
Nope...just don’t vote Obama. I could see voting Libertarian etc. Hell, not even vote at all (which has crossed my mind), but voting for Obama is just too much of a stretch for me.
They don’t need to, as they have the secular liberal Universities to indoctrinate our kids with their agenda, along with the liberal media to subtly (and not so subtly) disseminate their views to the masses
So what you’re saying is that a university professor holds more sway over a young mind than God Almighty, Creator of the Universe?
University professors at liberal, mainstream Universities tend to be atheists, and people like Richard Dawkins will gleefully tell you that atheists tend to be better educated than your garden-variety knuckle-dragger, regardless of whether that’s actually true.
If universities are cranking out atheist converts then it only stands to reason that the atheist ranks are becoming more educated.
I haven’t seen any evidence that this it true. I know people that got decent educations at Christian universities. Although, my personal opinion is that if you got a nursing or computer science degree but still believe in a literal creation, you didn’t learn much.
If universities are cranking out atheist converts then it only stands to reason that the atheist ranks are becoming more educated.
Not to mention that with the resurgence of religion in this country over the past 40 years or so it means that the university professors aren’t having as much of an effect on the zeitgeist as others fear.
Either that or it means that most Christians aren’t educated. You can’t really have it both ways.
Strange, I spent most of my childhood, y’know, living in Europe, and there was no widespread hatred of America. There wasn’t during the Clinton administration either.
Hmmmm. What happened after the Clinton years that might make people hate America? Wow, what a head-scratcher that is.
As an American or as an Aussie? FWIW I’m on your side. I want you to know that.
When I was living abroad I encountered an intense hatred from European, and just about anyone. At one point the only real friends I had there were either from Africa or Israel.
During the time I did entertain Europeans I was always treated to in depth conversations about Iraq, America, obesity, or just about any other Cult of Personality topic of the day.
I thought you must be experiencing a certain amount of it there. The more I read the way you feel the more I think you’ve gotten a taste of it it maybe it was shocking. It certainly shocked me the intensity of which I was reviled for simply being American. It’s no walk in the park to here it day after day.
At a certain point all of it became white noise and I didn’t take any of it personally. I had one friend from Russia who always told me that he got his fair share of shit too for the same reasons we do.
Now, it was mere speculation that you might be experiencing this, and from a person that went through it already, take all of it with a grain of salt. Some people cannot be reasoned with and it’s not something Obama can fix. Sure, for about a week he will be applauded, but the Yank hating will pick right back up the next week. It’s like a football game, thier football game. I likened it to friendly competition.
As an American or as an Aussie?
American. I lived in the UK, spoke with an American accent, wore a big red and white American letter jacket from an American school. It couldn’t have been more obvious that we were American kids if we’d have gone running down the street waving Old Glory.
During this time period I also took an extended vacation with my family across Europe. No hatred.
During the Clinton years I was working in software and traveled the world extensively. No hatred of America then, either.
But now? You said it yourself.
I thought you must be experiencing a certain amount of it there.
Not really, for a number of reasons.
Part of it is because here there is such a diversified expat community. If I go to Sweden then I’m the only American in a country full of Swedes. If I meet a Swede here, he’s just one more foreign asshole in a country full of Chinese. And the Chinese don’t give a shit about politics one way or the other.
Another part is because Bush is almost out of office. People are far more interested in talking about the election than they are talking about Bush.
And the final reason is that when people say “Bush is an asshole” I agree with them.
Some people cannot be reasoned with and it’s not something Obama can fix. Sure, for about a week he will be applauded, but the Yank hating will pick right back up the next week.
That’s bullshit. This “everyone hates America” crap is a convenient excuse used by people who have little to no experience interacting with foreigners.
American. I lived in the UK, spoke with an American accent, wore a big red and white American letter jacket from an American school. It couldn’t have been more obvious that we were American kids if we’d have gone running down the street waving Old Glory.
During this time period I also took an extended vacation with my family across Europe. No hatred.
Ah, the good old days, huh? The Berlin wall. If we could only rewind.
During the Clinton years I was working in software and traveled the world extensively. No hatred of America then, either.
Subjective, but hey. Elect his wife and you can have it all back.
Another part is because Bush is almost out of office. People are far more interested in talking about the election than they are talking about Bush.
I know, I went through it myself. Like, “be a good pet and elect who we think will improve your world view.”
And the final reason is that when people say “Bush is an asshole” I agree with them.
You’d be crazy to say otherwise. The onyl place you could even entertain the idea without violent retribution is probably..
That’s bullshit. This “everyone hates America” crap is a convenient excuse used by people who have little to no experience interacting with foreigners.
I’ll wait for you to catch up.
That’s bullshit. This “everyone hates America” crap is a convenient excuse used by people who have little to no experience interacting with foreigners.I’ll wait for you to catch up.
Hey! European here! I think that you’re a little bit right, and a little bit wrong. To be honest a lot of it MW is that people tend to talk to you about what they know about you - so as an American, you get obesity, Hollywood and George Bush. It happens everywhere. I get David Beckham, and boiled Pizzas.
Although I do admit, there is more of a groundswell at the moment than there has been. But there is one difference - these views are not against America. Europeans tend to love America. It is the great experiment that seems to have worked! You are like part of the family, who has now gone off to college and are doing very well for yourselves, thankyou. Historically, we love you guys. Hell, we pretty much share a culture nowadays.
The difference is the Bush administration. Now although it is very easy to dislike the chap, and he does make it incredibly easy to lampoon him, its more about the fact that since 9/11, the War on Terror situation has made this shit global. Now what you guys are doing affects us a lot more. Pissing off, or solving the middle east affects us, so if you’re fucking it up, then we’ll get annoyed. Global warming affects us, so if you’re not playing ball, then we’ll have an opinion *, the issue of torture affects world politics and justice, so we are going to enter the discourse. And unfortunately in the course of the discourse, the US usually comes out as saying “Fuck you guys, I don’t give a shit. You hate us anyway.” And so the stereotype of the Ugly American lives on.
* - Not getting into a debate as to whether this is true, just illustrating the point.
** - the only exception I’ll concede is the US healthcare debate - largely we don’t give a shit about what you do with healthcare, and when we do its Michael Moores fault. ;-)
Good comments britishcress, I tend to agree with you in this area. While travelling internationally if you have the “ugly American” mind set, 25 good interactions and 1 bad one will reinforce that notion.
But where the “Euro Weenie” notion comes into play is the perception that most European countries do not help with the heavy lifting but are Johnny on the spot when it comes to critizing how the lifting is done. Obviously this does not apply to the Brits, I have always had an affinity for England (3 generations removed myself) and have felt the qualities that allowed us our auspicious beginning were reared in your homeland. That being said, many of your neighbors have not been helpful, from initially being involved in the oil for food scandal to sanctions with Iran, to Kosovo independance, even presenting a united front to Russia to allow American defensive missiles in eastern European countries.
Given that we are allies,working towards the same goal of stamping out radical Islam, and removing the threat of terrorism, we should be pushing in the same direction. I understand Bush’s perceived arrogance, his go it alone attutude has contributed to the problem.
But I have a question for you as I would like a Brit’s opinion on this. I have read spurious comments here that given the damage Bush has done to our credibility around the world that its going to take multiple years (10, 20, even more) to repair the damgae and get America back in everyone’s good graces. I am of the opinion that with a change in leadership, the world will provide us with a clean slate,that our allies will open their arms to us again and our enemies will still be enemies, but a new birth of cooperation can flourish, opinions?
But I have a question for you as I would like a Brit’s opinion on this. I have read spurious comments here that given the damage Bush has done to our credibility around the world that its going to take multiple years (10, 20, even more) to repair the damgae and get America back in everyone’s good graces. I am of the opinion that with a change in leadership, the world will provide us with a clean slate,that our allies will open their arms to us again and our enemies will still be enemies, but a new birth of cooperation can flourish, opinions?
Obviously there will be exceptions. The George Galloway set are always going to be looking for the bad in the situation, and I think the recent administration has created more of these irrational people. As far as Britain goes, it definately won’t take very long, mainly because I don’t think the situation is that bad. Its kind of like your best mate who goes through a phase of pissing you off. He pisses you off, but he’s still your mate, and when push comes to shove, you’re on the same side. The Brits love the yanks - and thats why we rag on you so much. You always take the piss out of the people you are closest to.
As for the rest of the world, yes, I do think a change of leadership (whoever that might be) will be a clean slate. Not that I think the US will (or should) ‘apologise’, but it means that all positions the US has with the world are open for discussion. Now it might not mean that the positions are changed, but at least they are up for discussion, rather than the ‘fuck you’ attutude perceived during the post 9/11 Bush administration. This is one of the things I like most about the American system - you only have a government for a maximum of 8 years, so doors are never closed, and policies are not set in stone (there aren’t many countries who can say that!)
Now do I think that if Obama sets up a cuddly liberal whitehouse the world will fall in love with the USA? Not not really. You guys are like the boss of the company - and everyone has a gripe with the boss. But a good boss has the respect and the trust of everyone. Its more about international respect, rather than popularity.
Longtime readers stopped coming. Readership plummeted by 4/5,
Good. Glad to see I wasn’t the only one who got fed up with your shit.
Lee, I read your site waaay back in the day. Through your surgery. Your dad passing. The Moxie war. (ugh)
But you - you - turned into a dick. And the constant bashing of your readers/contributors got old. Fast.
And simply by looking at this post, you haven’t changed. It’s not your fault your readership plummeted. Of course not. It’s everybody else’s.
Typical.
Classic! Posting on a site to claim you never read it.
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Actually, this blog also goes lock-step with a set of beliefs. It has morphed into an anti-religion, bash-at-all-costs conservative/libertarian screed where the contributing editors all believe essentially the same thing and essentially hold anyone of faith who believes that laws should be based on religious truths are stupid and/or uniformed. I visit this site almost daily for historical reasons and agree with ~60% of what is posted here, in spite of the fact that I am religious first and conservative second. I find it pretty impressive that you have allowed your former audience (?) to melt away while you hold to your beliefs and I guess that has appeal to me. I wouldn’t change a thing expect as for a bit more respect when my views are expressed by some of the more militant anti-Christianists here.