# Goodbye, Straight Dope **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 20, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899 "2018-08-20T02:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/101 "2018-08-20T23:02:50Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > No, Libertarians are most definitely not pro-choice. There are huge numbers of people who describe themselves as libertarian, and spout libertarian talking points, and even run for office on the LP ticket who oppose abortion rights. Even among the theoretically pro-choice libertarians, there are a lot who are practically anti-choice, who want to remove federal protections for abortion rights, especially Roe vs Wade, and leave it up to the states, which in practice means lots of abortion bans. Ron Paul, for example, is generally considered libertarian, but actively opposes abortion. Gary Johnson, LP presidential candidate in 2012 and 2016, sometimes claims to be pro-choice, but also has said abortion should be left to the states, and signed a ban on partial birth abortions and a law requiring parental consent to abortions while governor. Bob Barr, 2008 presidential candidate, supported a ban on partial birth abortions and ban on traveling across state lines to get an abortion. Harry Browne, the 1996 and 2000 presidential candidate, stated that he believes that life begins at conception, and that Roe vs Wade was a “judicial fraud” and that abortion laws should be up to the states. This just shows that a lot of self-professed Libertarians are hypocrites. There’s no way to reconcile opposition to abortion with any theory of libertarianism. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/102 "2018-08-20T23:17:28Z")
Politics is everywhere these days. And not good politics either. Hateful, divisive politics. I’m right and you’re wrong politics. La la la la la I’m not listening politics. Has it always been this way and I’m just starting to see it? Or did people at one time actually seek to have a more civil discourse with one another despite opposing viewpoints? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/103 "2018-08-20T23:25:15Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You think it’s healthy for message boards to lose participation? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/104 "2018-08-20T23:29:53Z")
☹ oh no. Please don’t go. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/105 "2018-08-20T23:43:39Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Politics is everywhere these days. And not good politics either. Hateful, divisive politics. I’m right and you’re wrong politics. La la la la la I’m not listening politics. Has it always been this way and I’m just starting to see it? Or did people at one time actually seek to have a more civil discourse with one another despite opposing viewpoints? There was a time when the party in opposition participated to balance over reach within policies of the party in power. They worked together to, y’know, govern. Frothy rhetoric and divisive, destructive tactics coupled with a refusal to participate by opposition parties, in favour of obstruction, has shifted all that sadly. Not sure how to stop that spiral, not sure anyone knows. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2018, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/106 "2018-08-20T23:44:05Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Politics is everywhere these days. And not good politics either. Hateful, divisive politics. I’m right and you’re wrong politics. La la la la la I’m not listening politics. Has it always been this way and I’m just starting to see it? Or did people at one time actually seek to have a more civil discourse with one another despite opposing viewpoints? No, it hasn’t always been this way. Yes, it’s become increasingly polarized over the past 25 years, to the point where moderate politicians (particularly on the GOP side) are increasingly rare. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/107 "2018-08-21T00:12:57Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > There was a time when the party in opposition participated to balance over reach within policies of the party in power. They worked together to, y’know, govern. Frothy rhetoric and divisive, destructive tactics coupled with a refusal to participate by opposition parties, in favour of obstruction, has shifted all that sadly. > > Not sure how to stop that spiral, not sure anyone knows. It probably requires moving away from the us vs. them mentality that we seem to have embraced thee days. As long as we can “other” everyone else, we don’t have to see them as people. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/108 "2018-08-21T00:24:07Z")
So, I’m moving this to the Pit. The OP began as a generalized swipe against the broad group of left-leaning posters that have made this board unrecognizable to the OP. Not unexpectedly, this spawned similar swipes against broad groups of conservative posters. The OP was a rant against the changing board, even if it was a rant sung in dulcet tones. While common, swearing, vitriol, and over the top expressions of anger are not required for something to be a rant. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/109 "2018-08-21T00:33:15Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Politics is everywhere these days. And not good politics either. Hateful, divisive politics. I’m right and you’re wrong politics. La la la la la I’m not listening politics. Has it always been this way and I’m just starting to see it? Or did people at one time actually seek to have a more civil discourse with one another despite opposing viewpoints? You weren’t here during Operation Iraqi Clusterfuck. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/110 "2018-08-21T00:34:38Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > Funny, because I’m a Canadian (well, a Quebecer) and I find the SDMB has always had a left-wing slant. I’m not sure if it’s _more_ left-wing now (or how to measure the leftwingness of things), but it seems more mean-spirited. However, with a sig like this: > [@](#): > > The Liberal Party has brought us on the edge of a precipice. > With the Social Credit, we shall step forward. You, yourself, are probably not a fan of left-wing nor centrist politics in Canada, no? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/111 "2018-08-21T00:44:35Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > You weren’t here during Operation Iraqi Clusterfuck. I guess I missed that one. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/112 "2018-08-21T00:55:01Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You think it’s healthy for message boards to lose participation? Depends on who we lose. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/113 "2018-08-21T00:57:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Depends on who we lose. I gotta give it up when i agree. An emphatic +1. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/114 "2018-08-21T00:58:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Depends on who we lose. I quite agree. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/115 "2018-08-21T01:05:24Z")
OP realizes he can’t defend right wing bullshit, and realizes the shit coming is going to be even harder to defend, flees. Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/116 "2018-08-21T01:09:30Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Yes. If you want an echo chamber why not talk to the mirror? Is it you need unanimous validation? ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/117 "2018-08-21T01:13:22Z")
On the one hand you have… > [@](#): > > Fighting ignorance since 1973 (It’s taking longer than we thought) It’s right there on the letterhead. On the other hand you have the Republican Party/ Right Wing that seems to do nothing BUT spread ignorance these days. I would say it’s impossible for this board to be anything but left leaning. Like a few other posters have stated in this thread, I was a right leaning registered Republican when I first joined this board way back in 2000. Over the years I’ve moved slightly left, but the right has moved waaay right to the point that we aren’t at all compatible any more. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/118 "2018-08-21T01:13:53Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” -B. Obama > > And with that, I’m gone… If you honestly believe the “that” Obama was referring to was the business, then you _should_ go, since you and accuracy are clearly undergoing a trial separation. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/119 "2018-08-21T01:16:14Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > I guess I must bow to your amazing and absolutely unbelievable core of absolute knowledge. I had no idea you had such profound wisdom and a degree worthy of such high respect. > > “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” -B. Obama > > And with that, I’m gone… Wow, thanks for leaving. If that out of context quote is the best you’ve got, and you evidently think it is, then your posts would be a complete waste of time. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899/120 "2018-08-21T01:19:09Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > If you want an echo chamber why not talk to the mirror? Is it you need unanimous validation? I think this board’s intelligent, principled conservatives are a real plus. I don’t want an echo chamber, but I don’t want “hahaha lamestream media” **doorhinge** either. When I joined, back in the stone age, there seemed to be more conservatives. Did they leave? No, they stayed and the Republican Party left them. You can read about them right here, saying, I used to reliably vote Republican but they’ve gone off the deep end. For example, **SenorBeef** was on the conservative side back then, and I think **Little Nemo** as well (apologies if I’ve misrepresented either of you). When you have Bill effin’ Kristol trolling the Republican president, you know the Republicans have lost it. Anyway, my point is, you can take your echo chamber and stick it up whatever orifice octopuses have. It wouldn’t be an echo chamber if we had more than one sane party. Now, not everything on this board is about politics. I don’t know what the OPs issue is – Cafe Society, the Game Room, and MPSIMS are all pretty apolitical. GQ, of course. There are many non-political threads in GD as well – no one said, “Trump is an artificial dumbass” in the thread about whether it’s good to have strong AI. The thread about landing a plane on the road didn’t branch off into whether roads should be government or privately owned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goodbye-straight-dope/819899.md?page=7)