Proof that half the posts here are Republican trolls...

[TreasonousBastard]

OK, that got your attention, and you can call bullshit because i don't have proof and it's probably not half.

But, today's NY Times did have an article (get your own link-- I read the paper paper) about the history of anti-terrorist actions since 9/11 and one of the first they mentioned was a cadre of posters to infest blogs, websites, listserves, and anything else they can find with their message. The focus was on Arab and Muslim sites, but not restricted to them.

So, professional propagandists are admittedly out there (like we didn't know that already) and they are well paid to push the White House agenda.

Why would anyone think they are not here, at Smirking Chimp, Huffington Post and everywhere else we might hang out? And why would anyone think that they are not the best at sowing discord? That is, after all, what they do for a living.

I have no intention of outing anyone, mainly since I have no idea who they might be, but I would suggest not chomping at the bait, no matter how good it tastes, so quickly.

[Demeter]

1. And To Think--We Do This for Free--Even Pay for The Privilege!

Now, come the Revolution, which side wins?

[Swede]

2. Low post counts are red flags now more than ever.

They are egging on both our great candidates supporters to anger,as never before.

[Hestia]

4. Low Post Counts - but...but...but...that's not fair to those who don't post that

much :cry: I just can't live here like everyone else does...

[bhikkhu]

13. Don't worry too much...

If you have nice things to say, no worries.

If you are actually supporting a candidate, no worries.

If you support one candidate and run down the other, try to be fair. Then, no worries.

If something wretched is spouted on talk radio, and ten minutes later you post it here as if you just thought of it, perhaps you should worry.

[jobycom]

8. High post counts don't mean they aren't,

I've run into such operatives since before there was a DU. I remember arguing politics on a number of different websites with posting boards, usually not devoted just to politics, and finding the exact same worded message on several, under different names. When I'd pick fights with them, I could tell they were different people. I remember holding a long conversation with one poster, even carrying it over to private email, for several weeks. He would post something in decent prose, but when he responded he couldn't spell, punctuate, or put together complete sentences. Now and then he'd hit back with some well-worded reply, then back to almost gibberish. He wasn't the one writing the well-worded replies, yo see, he was getting them from somewhere else.

There are posts here I suspect of being Republican plants, and some from posters with high counts. There are obviously posts from both Democratic camps, as well, and these are also part of an organized campaign, though I'm sure the posters are true believers. We've known that for years around here. I remember one guy getting busted supporting Ron Paul a while back. He was a typical concern troll. "I'm not sure about our candidates. Blablabla. I've been looking at Ron Paul lately, and some of what he says sounds more liberal than our own candidates!" Someone found the same poster that same night on a Ron Paul campaign site, bragging about what he was doing. We've had posters caught bragging at Freeperville, too.

There's no doubt there are organized disruptors. Half the crap people believe about Clinton on this board was posted by Repub plants who would lift inflammatory headlines from sites like Drudge and Newsmax, then stir up debate here, so that most people think they just "know" that Clinton is some triangulating conservative. I saw a post like that today, linking an article on a site advertising Ann Coulter books, Reagan teeshirts, and bragging about it's "no liberal bias" journalism. And there were some otherwise sensible Democrats, lapping up the lies.

Wait until Obama clinches the nomination, and you'll see him destroyed the same way. It's all the Republicans have, so it's what they do.

[PetraPooh]

15. # of posts + date of registration might be fairer, but not definitive. I, for example,

joined but am not quite liberal (I vote liberally, but don't always "love" the issue as DU deems I should) enough to post in many topics and was nearly booted shortly after joining so I went to reading only for nearly two years.

[scheming daemons]

3. I think it is clear that the OP is a Repug troll...

;-)

[bilgewaterbill]

5. Nailed it!

[TreasonousBastard]

10. I am unmasked.

[Johnny__Motown]

6. Any chance I can get a job like that once we have a Dem in the W.H.? sign me up

[Raejeanowl]

7. If Skinner Ever Asks My Opinion

About what are the five most annoying kinds of threads that need to be outlawed by DU rules, I think that "Gotcha!" threads would be right up there.

All for the want of a well-written subject line, because otherwise, it's a perfectly fine post.

Guess I just get tired of being manipulated here, by DUers, too!

Someday, Skinner and I are going to have a talk.

[Dr.Phool]

9. Forget Skinner.

He's a freeper.
:evilgrin:
And Will Pitt too.

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Ah, yes-- Pitt and I are on a mission.

[Qutzupalotl]

12. evening kick

[cbayer]

14. It is quite possible that they are just beating each other up.

It's interesting to see that most people accusing others of being trolls are the same ones accused of being trolls in the next thread.

I would like to think that most of the people here are reasonable individuals and those disruptive, obnoxious posters are really infiltrators.

The thought that they are just fighting with each other.....I find that funny.

[Laelth]

16. Having read the threads in the 9/11 DU Forum ...

... I am certain there are government operatives/CIA types posting.

No doubt about it.

-Laelth

[Maggie_May]

18. Thats scary!!!

[Maggie_May]

17. Well this is my thought

I have been a member of the DU since January 2001 and have run into all kinds. Maybe these guys will learn something maybe we can make them think a little for themselves instead of having there Rush's and Hanity's tell how they should think. So if you are out there lurking about keep reading just maybe something will sink in.