Politics....

[SDS]

Put it in a thread so it doesn't creep in everywhere else.

 

It is inevitable in this climate. We have a ###### reality show host who grabs women by the ###### as president. Who has paid for abortions and owns Asian brothels, yet seems to attract the so-called conservative vote.

 

Who tweets CONSTANTLY because he cannot escape his own cult of personality.

 

It isn't going to go away.

 

So please put it in a thread.

 

 

I very rarely go to TSW.* I like this community better, even for Bills stuff. IMO, it's a more intelligent community, and that includes people with whom I disagree on politics, hockey, and sports. Please, no offense meant; I know TSW is your "flagship station," but I like the people here better.

 

And thanks, again, for all you do for us.

 

 

*I am known as Offsides Number 76 over there. In honor of Mr. Smerlas.

I’m not even sure what you are saying here. I suggested someone make a quick visit to TSW to look at the club feature, not to hang out and discuss things.

[Eleven]

I’m not even sure what you are saying here. I suggested someone make a quick visit to TSW to look at the club feature, not to hang out and discuss things.

 

Sorry, man; misread it.

[shrader]

One unpinned thread. There and only there. Point to it in forum rules.

Whatever it is, it should definitely not be pinned. Those are the first thing you see when you get here. Not a good approach when many want to avoid it.

[SwampD]

I loved the Politics thread. I loved talking politics with people who cared more about life and hockey than the world of politics.

 

I also don't miss it.

 

Do whatever you feel you must.

 

To this day, I would have a beer and talk politics to whomever I agreed with, or whomever told (or asked) me to go myself.

[SDS]

This is what I am thinking:

 

https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/clubs/

 

These clubs aren't all that active, but there's not a topic that drives it either. The idea of these clubs is that any member can start one (this group tends to use a single Topic like "Rod and Gun Club") and the type of club can be open to anyone, or approved membership, invite only, etc... So, if there were 10 liberals who wanted to get together and talk they would literally have their own self-moderated club (forum) to talk in. Or maybe someone could have something more inclusive. Whatever. It's not limited and we can try and see what works for everyone.

 

This keeps the non sports-related political talk off the main board and out of people's faces who don't want to see it. It also allows those who have been asking for an outlet to do so easily.

[TrueBlueGED]

One of many movies I never have watched.

 

But I would LOVE a thread where you have to explain where "conservatism" has gone. The Southern Strategy is obviously out the window. It's not ideology that pushes conservatives. It's money.

I'd argue that Trump's racial politics is the southern strategy in its most pure form. He supports the same things Republicans have since Goldwater, he simply took the window dressing off.

 

Edit: I really like the idea of invite-only clubs. It's a true opt-in, as opposed to a subforum or dedicated thread that people may stumble into out of boredom or whatever.

Edited June 30, 2018 by TrueBlueGED

[JujuFish]

This is what I am thinking:

 

https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/clubs/

 

These clubs aren't all that active, but there's not a topic that drives it either. The idea of these clubs is that any member can start one (this group tends to use a single Topic like "Rod and Gun Club") and the type of club can be open to anyone, or approved membership, invite only, etc... So, if there were 10 liberals who wanted to get together and talk they would literally have their own self-moderated club (forum) to talk in. Or maybe someone could have something more inclusive. Whatever. It's not limited and we can try and see what works for everyone.

 

This keeps the non sports-related political talk off the main board and out of people's faces who don't want to see it. It also allows those who have been asking for an outlet to do so easily.

 

I like this.

[Drunkard]

The club idea sounds good to me. If we could have an open club that allowed political threads then I can just bookmark it just like I do with this forum whenever I'm reading through threads to catch up on whatever I missed since I was last on.

[shrader]

It’s funny when you see that people clearly didn’t read the thread. Anyway, so with those clubs, is it essentially the person who starts the group that winds up as the so called moderator? If it’s closed, someone has to have the power to let someone in.

[7+6=13]

Put it in a thread so it doesn't creep in everywhere else.

 

It is inevitable in this climate.  We have a ###### reality show host who grabs women by the ###### as president.  Who has paid for abortions and owns Asian brothels, yet seems to attract the so-called conservative vote.  

 

Who tweets CONSTANTLY because he cannot escape his own cult of personality.  

 

It isn't going to go away.

 

So please put it in a thread.

 

I very rarely go to TSW.*  I like this community better, even for Bills stuff.  IMO, it's a more intelligent community, and that includes people with whom I disagree on politics, hockey, and sports.  Please, no offense meant; I know TSW is your "flagship station," but I like the people here better.

 

And thanks, again, for all you do for us.

 

 

*I am known as Offsides Number 76 over there.  In honor of Mr. Smerlas.

 

Yikes

[WildCard]

I like your idea SDS

 

And thanks for taking the time out to respond to the issue

[Doohicksie]

On another forum where I post, there's a subforum called Trollheim.  It's pretty much anything goes, not just politics, anything.  There are some rules but pretty much any subject that isn't illegal can be discussed.  The only way to get in is with a password, and you have to request that password from a moderator.  Anyone who can't handle it is banned from the subforum.

 

I've also seen where forums have a separate board just for politics.  If someone posts in the general interest forum, they get suspended.  But post in the politics forum, that's fine.

[LikeEich]

In my experience when dealing with sensitive issues some sides might think the other is way out of line when maybe they aren't. Some people can't agree to disagree. I probably have an opinion different than most but don't mind having discussions seeing the differences on both sides. My vote (do I get a vote??) Would be make the thread, if you don't like reading it, don't click on it. If you can't have a respectful discussion with differeing points of view, don't click on it. Those who can should be able to have the discussion though right?

[JJFIVEOH]

My opinion, people can choose what and what not to read. Having a specific thread for politics only makes it more obvious what you're getting to if you want to get involved. Even though I took several months off from this group because I had enough of the childish remarks, it had nothing to do with having a political thread. I entered those threads knowing I may not read what I wanted to hear, and I treated it that way because we all have differing opinions.

 

What turned me off mostly was the fact that the group was controlled from the top in what we were allowed to say. And you might find some correlation between the traffic on this board and the lack of success of the team, but this place took a significant hit once the political thread was closed.

 

Like I said, just my opinion. ????

[LTS]

I like the club idea.

 

The club idea should also then be used to draw off-topic discussions into those and out of the hockey forum I would think.  It would make sense to have the beer club, whiskey club, photography club, home-ownership club, etc.

 

It also allows for multiple topic points to be discussed rather than just a single long menagerie of posts that will all blend together.

 

Bring on the clubs.  I'll even happily start the Political Country Club to give people a place to vent.

[North Buffalo]

This is what I am thinking:

 

https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/clubs/

 

These clubs aren't all that active, but there's not a topic that drives it either. The idea of these clubs is that any member can start one (this group tends to use a single Topic like "Rod and Gun Club") and the type of club can be open to anyone, or approved membership, invite only, etc... So, if there were 10 liberals who wanted to get together and talk they would literally have their own self-moderated club (forum) to talk in. Or maybe someone could have something more inclusive. Whatever. It's not limited and we can try and see what works for everyone.

 

This keeps the non sports-related political talk off the main board and out of people's faces who don't want to see it. It also allows those who have been asking for an outlet to do so easily.

It might work? Not bad idea... not sure how much itd be used but if politics creeped into a convo you would have a place to redirect folks to. Worth the effort.

[SwampD]

I just don't like the idea of having to join something in order to find out if I want to join it.

 

There have been a number of threads on topics that I knew nothing about or even cared about, that I read and was thoroughly entertained and informed. Not sure I would have made the effort to join any of them if they were private. I'll most likely be missing out on some stuff. I'll get over it.

[bob_sauve28]

I'd argue that Trump's racial politics is the southern strategy in its most pure form. He supports the same things Republicans have since Goldwater, he simply took the window dressing off.

Edit: I really like the idea of invite-only clubs. It's a true opt-in, as opposed to a subforum or dedicated thread that people may stumble into out of boredom or whatever.

Yes, if you look back at the 1966 mid terms that southern strategy was employed and has been going strong since.

[Eleven]

Yes, if you look back at the 1966 mid terms that southern strategy was employed and has been going strong since.

 

Not the religious part, which was kind of the key to getting those voters.

[Stoner]

A bit of overthinking? What was wrong with the Politics thread? It was clearly labeled and if you didn't want to be offended, you didn't go in. If its presence among the various hockey threads might trigger some people, it could be tucked away somewhere.

[Eleven]

A bit of overthinking? What was wrong with the Politics thread? It was clearly labeled and if you didn't want to be offended, you didn't go in. If its presence among the various hockey threads might trigger some people, it could be tucked away somewhere.

 

Agreed

[shrader]

A bit of overthinking? What was wrong with the Politics thread? It was clearly labeled and if you didn't want to be offended, you didn't go in. If its presence among the various hockey threads might trigger some people, it could be tucked away somewhere.

You speak out often about the mega threads. Politics is a pretty broad label. That’s a lot of topics to be confined to a single thread. I’d lean more towards a sub forum if possible, that way you can have multiple threads, but those who want to avoid it don’t have to see every single one of them on the front page. Maybe the software doesn’t allow for that, but it’s the way I would do it if I would stupidly put in charge.

[Taro T]

Would expect having a subforum would be the way to go. A single thread is too unwieldy & not sure about the club idea.

 

Apparently have been a member of one of the TBD clubs for several months, but still have no idea how/if anything gets posted to the club.

[Eleven]

You speak out often about the mega threads. Politics is a pretty broad label. That’s a lot of topics to be confined to a single thread. I’d lean more towards a sub forum if possible, that way you can have multiple threads, but those who want to avoid it don’t have to see every single one of them on the front page. Maybe the software doesn’t allow for that, but it’s the way I would do it if I would stupidly put in charge.

I think that works nicely, too, and it's the way it's handled at TBD

[mjd1001]

No on politics on these boards. If needed, create a seperate part of the forum for political discussions.  If anyone adds any type of politics to a discussion, they get warned once and then a 10+ day ban for a second offense.