# Why does this board lean Democrat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 24, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626 "2013-04-24T23:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/461 "2013-05-03T18:01:03Z")
> [@esmeralda2](#): > > I’m sure, to some extent, I am reacting to a board I’ve been posting on that is mainly conservative, and many who are extremely conservative, far right wing. They are what I am describing and what I agreed with. > > Please keep in mind I was agreeing with another poster. These ideas did not originate with me. I always find it annoying when I agree with someone else, then I get skewed for making the point, though someone else made it before me and no one attacks that poster. I am just agreeing with what someone else already posted. I am pretty much, from that board, tired of being beaten up and attacked. Please go after the person I quoted. I just agreed with someone else. I wasn’t attacking you. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/462 "2013-05-03T18:01:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I’m sure conservative posters will pop up any minute now with examples of conservative boards where liberals are treated the way they wish to be treated here. Personally, I’d be shocked of such a board existed! I’d also be floored if an explicitly liberal board (founded, hosted and moderated by admitted liberals) maintained any level of civility to conservatives. This board is, indeed, a rare animal. I think it is because there is more discussed here than just politically related subjects. Of course, those tend to quickly devolve but that’s besides the point. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/463 "2013-05-03T20:04:25Z")
> [@Slypork](#): > > … admitted liberals… “My name is Gaspar Milquetoast, and I am a liberal…” “Hi, Gaspar!” “I started like a lot of you did. Back in the day, when filthy druggies were dragging down our country with lies about our brave heroes, I saw a few real Americans trying a bit of reasoning…” “One duh at a time, Gaspar!” “…and soon I was applying reason to my _own_ views rather than just the other guys, and it started not looking so good. I could have just ignored the facts, or made up my own, but it was too late, I was being reasonable, and couldn’t stop! I just couldn’t stop being reasonable!” “The de-program works if you work it, Gaspar!” ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/464 "2013-05-03T20:30:11Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > “My name is Gaspar Milquetoast, and I am a liberal…” > > “Hi, Gaspar!” > > “I started like a lot of you did. Back in the day, when filthy druggies were dragging down our country with lies about our brave heroes, I saw a few real Americans trying a bit of reasoning…” > > “One duh at a time, Gaspar!” > > “…and soon I was applying reason to my _own_ views rather than just the other guys, and it started not looking so good. I could have just ignored the facts, or made up my own, but it was too late, I was being reasonable, and couldn’t stop! I just couldn’t stop being reasonable!” > > “The de-program works if you work it, Gaspar!” There is a 12 step program available for admitted liberals. It requires a little work: read the works of [Hayek instead of Keynes](http://econstories.tv/2010/06/22/fear-the-boom-and-bust/), turn off MSNBC, realize that sometimes humans do take precedence over animals, accept the fact that for the time being our transportation infrastructure requires oil and so on. With the help of the compassionate conservatives we can help you. Admitting that you drank the Obama Kool-aid is the first step towards recovery. Remember: when you know that conservatives are on the Right, then everything else is wrong! I’m kidding!!! I don’t want anyone to be brainwashed. If we all thought the same way the world would be a boring place. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/465 "2013-05-03T20:30:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There was a longish [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=590139&highlight=Shodan) in ATMB about why this is a silly idea. > > Regards, > Shodan I can see why the moderators would not impose such a rule, but I disagree about idea being silly. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/466 "2013-05-04T07:01:54Z")
Here is the post that some people consider jerkish: > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Lean Democrat? Fuck them, I just think the Republicans are bullies and liars and I’d like to spit in their eye. Here is the post that **Marley23** mod-noted: > [@magellan01](#): > > Nope. You still cannot comprehend that we agree on the vast majority of climate change issues. My problem is that for you it is a friggin religion. You’re like an old presbyterian evangelist seeing evil in drink, dance and what not. You turn every thread you can into a friggin global warming thread. And everyone must agree with you 100%. If not, they’re the enemy, uniformed. “listen to right-wing talking points” (:rolleyes:), blah, blah, fucking blah. Your schtick is old. Rude. Tiresome. and this is from someone who, as I said AGREES with you on 90% of the substance. Yeesh. Can anyone see a difference? Again, bear in mind that the mods are mostly not like the cop walking the beat, sniffing out misbehavior, but like the guys responding to a 9-1-1 call. If no one complains about a post, it very likely will not get the attention of the mods. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/467 "2013-05-04T11:37:08Z")
No. That is one of the posts that was considered jerkish by some people. And the magellan01 post was clearly being a jerk, but it was not the one mod-noted. It was one by Rune. Yes conservatives have been jerks … in this thread too. You raise a valid point however, even though your basic information is mistaken. Maybe someone reported Rune’s post and nobody reported anything else. Maybe it is a reflection of what was reported and a mod looking not much farther than the post in question … Is possible. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/468 "2013-05-04T23:31:54Z")
A compilation of the moderation in this thread: > [@Gukumatz](#): > > **Mod Note** > > > [@BlankSlate](#): > > > > In other words, he has no examples. Just more delusions and paranoia. > > If you need to hash it out with another poster, **Blank Slate** , take it to the Pit. This is not an appropriate venue and you are out of line. > > - Gukumatz, > IMHO Moderator > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > > [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > > > If you’re so cock-sure you have me down to cases, why did you have to cut off the front of my one already short sentence to support your argument? > > > > Or do you pay an illegal immigrant under the table to type your posts as well as clean your toilet? > > This is out of line for this forum. Let’s dial the outrage back and remember you’re not in the Pit. > Furthermore, I’m moving this topic to Great Debates since it’s definitely evolved into that, seemingly. > [@Marley23](#): > > > [@magellan01](#): > > > > Nope. You still cannot comprehend that we agree on the vast majority of climate change issues. My problem is that for you it is a friggin religion. You’re like an old presbyterian evangelist seeing evil in drink, dance and what not. You turn every thread you can into a friggin global warming thread. And everyone must agree with you 100%. If not, they’re the enemy, uniformed. “listen to right-wing talking points” (:rolleyes:), blah, blah, fucking blah. Your schtick is old. Rude. Tiresome. and this is from someone who, as I said AGREES with you on 90% of the substance. Yeesh. > > Knock it off. You’re not in the Pit, and you can’t attack other posters in here. > [@Marley23](#): > > > [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > > > Don’t like Obama’s electoral strategies, you’re a racist: [Why is the Obama administration fighting so hard to legally restrict access to contraception? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=689795) > > > > Don’t like being called a racist, you’re “making personal attacks.” > > > > Moderators don’t care. There isn’t anything you can do that creates rules enforcement as long as it’s done for Barack Obama. > > If you have complaints about the rules or the moderation, **Condescending Robot** , make them in the ATMB forum. > [@Marley23](#): > > > [@Rune](#): > > > > Thank you. Apology accepted. > > > > Liberals are in majority because they are best characterized as a form of mindless herd animal that seek to have their views reflected by a choir of the likeminded, and if a place has first gotten a few extra of them others of the same race will start to migrate to the same location. > > Some posters are attempting to have a productive or at least interesting discussion here. This doesn’t help, and you’re not in the Pit. Knock it off. “_We report, you decide_” ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/469 "2013-05-05T08:15:52Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I kind of doubt it; it would be the same sort of pileon, just in the opposite direction. > > However, I’m not aware of any conservative leaning boards that aren’t explicitly political- are there any? Most car forums (U.S. based) seem incredibly politically conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/470 "2013-05-05T09:01:13Z")
> [@bump](#): > > However, I’m not aware of any conservative leaning boards that aren’t explicitly political- are there any? Baen’s Bar, the Baen Books forum is, or was; I haven’t been there for years. The ranting about how Iraq was going badly because of sabotage by Democratic agents in the CIA was irritating me. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/471 "2013-05-05T18:14:36Z")
Football/fantasy football forums lean a little towards the conservative side. Mostly, though, if they’re not talking about football there they’re talking about boobs. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/472 "2013-05-05T18:32:46Z")
> [@For You](#): > > Again, bear in mind that the mods are mostly not like the cop walking the beat, sniffing out misbehavior, but like the guys responding to a 9-1-1 call. If no one complains about a post, it very likely will not get the attention of the mods. Well, for the record, what brought me to the realization that I’d been out of line wasn’t the objections of the conservative dopers, nor the moderators, but the leftist dopers who posted their objections. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/473 "2013-05-06T13:36:33Z")
> [@For You](#): > > A compilation of the moderation in this thread: > > “_We report, you decide_” Maybe that is the entire perceived bias inherent in the board. The ‘reporting’ is skewed due to the liberal/conservative divide. If all the mods are liberal, why need they look further than strictly what is reported? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/474 "2013-05-06T16:01:06Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Baen’s Bar, the Baen Books forum is, or was; I haven’t been there for years. The ranting about how Iraq was going badly because of sabotage by Democratic agents in the CIA was irritating me. Ignorance fought! Oh… and **rogerbox** I always thought car forums were more stupid-leaning, regardless of political opinion. I’m not a mechanic or an engineer, but the amount of non-scientific and crazy, idiotic stuff people say on those boards astounds me. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/475 "2013-05-06T17:24:17Z")
Can’t understand why you guys are so upset! The conservative agenda is sweeping the country like mildfire! Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll? Dead as a doughnut. Ever since Springsteen and _Born in the U.S.A._ became the theme song for Ronald Reagan. The Man can’t bust our music? Why bother, just listen to it and hear what you want to hear! America! Fucked, yeah! Drugs? Legal pot? C’mon, don’t you get it? If its fucking legal, it isn’t drugs! Same with sex, if it ain’t dirty, it ain’t sex, its good clean fun! Hygienic, healthy, organic…now they want you to ask a doctor if you’re healthy enough for sexual activity! If you’re not willing to die for nookie, you don’t deserve any! 'Course, you may not know whether you’re coming or going… Why, if it wasn’t for the ruthless tyranny of the mods, you guys would totally sweep these Boards! And then, every time you came here to say something, somebody would already have said it. At least this way, you get _some_ attention! Mockery, derision, and snickering, sure, but its more than you deserve. Careful what you wish for… ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/476 "2013-05-06T18:30:27Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Ignorance fought! > > Oh… and **rogerbox** I always thought car forums were more stupid-leaning, regardless of political opinion. I’m not a mechanic or an engineer, but the amount of non-scientific and crazy, idiotic stuff people say on those boards astounds me. True. There’s a lot of kids who have never owned a car but can’t wait to get one who post some really ridiculous stuff, there was a guy on the Supra forums who was obviously a kid who said “You know the sound when the turbo **clicks** on…” 😛 But the same snipes SDMB conservatives make about their ideology on the SDMB, is pretty much mirror imaged on most car forums I see, where people casually trash Obama, liberals as jobless leaches, etc. It’s pretty stupid but these are the only places to go sometimes for obscure information for your specific make and model of car. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/477 "2013-05-10T22:58:24Z")
In the NRA taggants thread, **elucidator** is now saying that the NRA somehow opposed adding taggants to fireworks powder. And there’s only one person gainsaying him. But here in this thread, Board stalwarts continue to nurse the idea that the Left’s position derives from reason and logic and science, and that THIS is why the board leans left. It’s very mysterious to me how both these positions endure simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/478 "2013-05-11T00:07:04Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > In the NRA taggants thread, **elucidator** is now saying that the NRA somehow opposed adding taggants to fireworks powder. You are misinformed. He said no such thing. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/479 "2013-05-11T00:13:31Z")
Cannot say much about that thread as I have no interest in it, have not read it, and have no intention of doing so, but the statements are not contradictory. To repeat a common mantra here: anecdotes are not data even in the plural form. Individual posters here, of Left, Right and Middle, are idiots and jerks, or at least sometimes behave that way. Many of us ignore them whatever their politics. Given that more posters here are of the Left (and Middle) than Right, as an absolute number there will be a fair number of those idiots and jerks who are of the Left, especially in Pit threads, even though they are overall a small minority of posters who share similar political beliefs. That presence of individuals behaving as jerks in no way informs the question of why there are many more who lean Left here. Jerks are everywhere. Jerk discussion is however more limited here and the level of discussion, outside of the Pit, tends to be one that values reason and logic and science more than other places one can kill some time on the nets. That attracts an intellectual crowd. Intellectual crowds tend to lean Left. The Right in its current form is not very attractive to many intellectuals (with the exception of some libertarians). Some very smart people. Some well educated ones. But not so many intellectuals. (Once again, that is not intelligence, it is mindset and interests.) Thus the board leans Leftward. Does it seem perhaps a bit less mysterious now? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626/480 "2013-05-11T00:34:20Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You are misinformed. He said no such thing. Well: > [@Yet another reason to Pit the NRA - no taggants in gunpowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-pit-the-nra-no-taggants-in-gunpowder/656031/521): > > The NRA had nothing to do with the lack of taggants in fireworks gunpowder. > [@Yet another reason to Pit the NRA - no taggants in gunpowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-pit-the-nra-no-taggants-in-gunpowder/656031/522): > > Now, perhaps the NRA only offered opposition to taggants in firearm gunpowder, and specifically exempted fireworks gunpowder. “Oh, yeah, sure, fireworks gunpowder should be tagged, yeah, we are totally on board with that!” Seems unlikely, but if you offer me a citation to that effect… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-board-lean-democrat/656626.md?page=25)