No wonder we are out of power.. organizing dems is like herding cats...

[MazeRat7]

<rant>
Seriously...look at how DU is structured and then look at how that structure is utilized. There are specific forums here for posts on Bush and Conservatives, Politics, the Economy, the Environment, Science, Latest News, and many others. Silly me, but if I were going to try to grep the latest news and opinion on any one of those topics I would "assume" that all post of importance would be within said forum.

Obviously I would be wrong.

So as a matter of observation, perhaps we could better organize our thoughts and disseminate our message if all like messages were centrally located within a specific forum. My point being, after all the hard work the keepers of this site have done recently, don't you think we ought to try and follow their lead and at least "try" to utilize the new forums ? How hard is it to post a chimpy comment or picture in the Bush forum and then move over to the politics forum to discuss some regional race or SCOTUS nomination while on the way to the science forum to bitch about ID ?

Bottom line, if we as a group can't get organized enough here to use this simple resource in the manner it was intended... what are our chances of being efficient and organized in the real world ?
</rant>

MZr7

[longship]

1. I saw a poli cartoon the other day with that exact metaphor.

Guy was rounding up the Dems who were depicted as a bunch of cats scattering all over the place.

Wish I had the link...

[marbuc]

17. It's a popular metaphor when describing Dems

A friend of mine is the Dem chief of staff here in CO, and made this comment shortly after the '04 elections.

[rzemanfl]

2. While organizing Republicans is like herding sheep/cows/

goats.

[Child_Of_Isis]

5. Ha!

:headbang:

[MazeRat7]

8. As an advocate for sheep, cows, and goats....

Please dont degradate those fine life forms to that of something dumb enough to be "herded" by "republicans"... *grin.

MZr7

[AirmensMom]

3. Well ...

my cats are pretty easy to herd. I think you need a new metaphor. ;)

I'll try to post in the right place from now on. :hi:

[sepia_steel]

4. I prefer cats over sheep. nt

[porphyrian]

6. Good! You realize our diversity!

Now, why are you convinced that we aren't working together just because it isn't being done the way you understand it?

On edit: a ! turned into a ? and had to be returned to !

[marions ghost]

20. right...

gotta be careful about fixing what ain't broke.

I'm a little tired of the herding cats metaphor (though it IS funny). When you think about it, it's actually a picture of complete inertia, and so not really fair at all. ANY organization of random unpaid individuals is going to be like herding cats at times. Attempts to tidy up and add structure will only go so far. You can put out your pitch for that, but there is usually an organic pattern that has evolved over time which is going to dominate. Public forums benefit by being somewhat free-form IMO, within a set of rules. As long as something effective is going on, it's best to be as flexible as possible about how that happens.

Not everyone thrives on disciplined efficiency in all things. Give people a good reason to change their habits and they might. But imposition of too much 'sorting' structure can cause paralysis. I've seen it happen time and again in volunteer groups. Group listservs can become completely nonfunctional because somebody insisted on their personal POV about how information should and shouldn't be conveyed--(mostly shouldn't --big stress on the neg). Group synergy is a delicate thing. Gotta always weigh the big picture against the urge to tweak. Not to say improvements can't be made. But suggestions for changes need to offer specific benefits accepted by the majority.

[Ksec]

7. Become a moderator and then you can move them

If it bothers you.

[Spinzonner]

9. Obviously you're not a rat

You're a Border Collie

:-)

[MazeRat7]

10. *grin Have you seen that bumper sticker....

"My Border Collie is smarter than your honor student"...

MZr7

[bowens43]

11. " I'm not a member of any organized political party,

I'm a Democrat"
- Will Rogers

Are you new to politics? It's messy. It's the nature of the beast.

[MazeRat7]

12. And that makes it ok how ?

Because Will Rogers said it ? Because structure and efficiency is a bad thing ? Its only the "nature of the beast" because we choose it to be so. Oh and no, I am not new to the game... why do you think I made the post in the first place ? It's time for change.

MZr7

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Miaow

[KittyWampus]

16. see those two black cats with arched backs spitting at each other in the

mid-background? That's us on DU. :D

[liberaltrucker]

19. And thank God

If we didn't fight amongst ourselves we'd be....REPUBLICANS.

[mcctatas]

14. God bless Molly Ivins!

of course, our "unherdability" (yeah, I know that's not really a word) is what makes us Democrats...if we could be easily controlled and made to toe the party line, we'd be freepers!

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. You are wrong, herding cats is far easier

[ladjf]

18. Too many Dems nursing the corporate tit.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. Yes, we need something that is half way between the forums & Demopedia.