Thank you Democratic Underground

[reflection]

We're seven days out from the election, and I can't imagine how horrible the past few months would have been without DU to cling to. I want to salute DU before the impending chaos begins and non-election posts sink like a stone.

...

Thank you for giving like-minded people a place to gather with an interface that is inclusive and easy to use.

Thank you for being a launching pad for ideas to better our community and country.

Thank you for being a source of information that progressive/liberal media figures both acknowledge and use as inspiration to carry our message to others outside of DU.

Thank you for being a war room in the age of information, where we can warn each other of incoming attacks and establish appropriate responses.

Thank you for being our own self-sustaining fact-checking organization we can use to counter the tsunami of right-wing lies that threaten to drown this country.

Thank you for being one of the few places that fights for the civil rights of our LGBT brethren.

Thank you for being one of the few places that fights for the impoverished and less fortunate.

If Obama loses, thank you for being a place I know I can come to to lick my wounds and prepare for the next battle.

If Obama wins, thank you for being a place I can shout my happiness from the rooftops without fear of reprisal from external forces.

Thank you to all members and management that help make this place the dynamic, exciting place that I come to every day and remind myself that I am not alone.

If anyone else wants to add to my list of thanks regarding DU, please be my guest! I know I forgot some things.

[equalrights4all]

1. I have been reading this site for a while and decided to sign up

I agree. This is a great place for sharing progressive ideas!

If Obama wins I'm going to be the happiest I've ever been in my life. He's been the greatest president in history and absolutely amazing. Fixing the economy after the Bush regime, and helping make all Americans equal. I can't wait to celebrate on election night. I truly wish he could be our leader forever.

If Romney wins, then you know, it's probably going to be through rigging voting machines and voter suppression of minorities and the poor. Makes me sick.

[reflection]

2. Welcome to DU!

I'm not big on leaders being elected forever, but I understand your enthusiasm.

There are plenty of outstanding Democrats waiting in the wings to take the reins from Barack when his second term is over. YES WE CAN!

[Indpndnt]

3. Excellent points!

[WilliamPitt]

4. Amen

[catbyte]

5. I've been a DU member for a decade and it kept me sane during the Dark

Times, i.e. the Bush/Cheney years. DU literally saved my cats' lives and my home in September and for that and so many other things, I will be eternally grateful.

[catbyte]

6. although I do miss Top Ten Conservative Idiots

[grantcart]

7. there is one problem that I have with DU

It is such an efficient way of getting all of the politically related stories that I can no longer read a newspaper to see a story that I leanred about here 2 days ago. Except for Rachel and LO TV news is like looking in the rearview mirror.

The problem is that when you try to engage and talk to other people, even high information political watchers, they are so behind the story, compared to DU, that it becomes very frustrating to have conversations because you spend your time updating them on the stories they didn't see.

[BadgerKid]

9. IME, some are so behind that mentioning DU

is an automatic sentence of being labeled as fringe out of hand. In other words, DU is the complement to F*x, etc. (I disagree because we don't just make up shit.) These are also people with whom the discussion has to be approached in such a way that they arrive at the conclusions on their own. I enjoy reading the anecdotes from posters that illustrate this approach.

[reflection]

10. You are very right about that.

But the upside is that rarely does someone come to me with a news item they want to discuss that I'm not already familiar with. And if it's a RW talking point that needs to be debunked, I'm usually ready with the ammunition.

A friend of mine who I would describe as centrist came over Sunday and he was concerned. His house is up for sale, and his girlfriend's Republican dad told him there was an Obamacare provision that required all home sales to be taxed to the tune of 3.8% to help fund it.

I already knew that talking point and was ready, not with just the "BS" part of it, but the breakdown on what your AGI had to be, and what profit had to occur on the sale in order for that to kick in. Once he realized this was never going to affect him, he was relieved. Then he was pissed at being misled. And he was impressed that I knew that off the top of my head. I flipped him to Obama that day. We're in TN, so it's not that big of a deal, but without DU, how the hell would I have been able to debunk that?

DU is a life preserver of truth in a sea of right-wing lies.

[grantcart]

11. Yep but you have to throttle way back not to overwhelm the interlocutor.

You have to be patient and listen to what they are feeling and not what they are saying.

Not something I do naturally.

[reflection]

12. I learned a new word today.

"interlocutor."

I also got some good advice.

Thank you sir/madam.

[Surya Gayatri]

8. No, you didn't forget anything, reflection. Lovely

"reflection" on the phenomenon that is DU.

The only place to be, especially during election season.

[marions ghost]

13. Yep

thanks for reminding us, reflection. DU rocks warts & all.

[reflection]

14. The most perfect imperfection there is. n/t