Masterful Bait Pre-Election Question

[omega minimo]

Is pre-election the time for major fishing expeditions on DU? They seem to have rapdily spawned lately in GD and even in GD: P. Some DUers have been posting with concerns about all the "negativity" they perceive here lately, assuming that it is coming from the Other Side. There is an even darker game being played here. Are DUers being played by threads that are collecting comments about election strategy, propaganda, etc. -- comments that will be utilized by Repugs in their propaganda and strategery?

Can you tell when someone OPs and cobbles together a whole string of ideas and wording that looks cut and pasted FROM DU? One of those "we all know what we're talking about here" OPs? That burps out a collage of DUisms and then asks for feedback-- and gets it? Can you tell the difference betweeen cut-and-paste and actual writing? There are various similarities and clues in the way these OPers identify (or not) themselves.

Whether they are designed to collect information or merely watch DUers twist in the wind, it is distressing that it works. Does it matter, after all, if the well-meaning DUers who reply are responding to a set-up? IMHO it does. When something smells like a pile of recycled cliches collected from DU that is not offering much but asking for YOU to connect the dots, consider that your answers may go into the Rovian cesspool that Repugs use against us.

:hug:

[checks-n-balances]

1. Are you saying this is causing lots of GOP "Masterful Bait-ing"?

Sounds like that's the end result of what you're describing, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of their paid hacks are doing just that.

I agree with you - let's not give them the "satisfaction"..!

[omega minimo]

2. yer right-- that's another reason it's repulsive

are DUers replying not know it's a fake-- or is the question appealing/important enough it doesn't matter?

I try not to feel protective of them, but there was one right up top this morning and................. folks really put a lot of heart and thought into answering someone that to me seems totally phony.

[bemildred]

3. So, we have Master Baiters here?

:rofl:

[omega minimo]

4. let's call them

"wonkers" :evilgrin:

[omega minimo]

5. ?

:shrug: