Has ATS become a Republican Campaign outlet?

Recently I took a few days to refrain from posting on the forums due to heated discussions on the political forums, and reverted back to being a "lurker"...reading the threads without logging in and commenting.

When I took this step back and viewed the site in a larger perspective, it became very obvious that the political environment on ATS is very one-sided and it looks as if ATS could be mistaken as a Pro-Romney/Pro-Republican outlet. In all fairness, I would have to include Ron Paul and I am a supporter.

Thread after thread is created espousing the greatness of the Republican candidates and ideology, with little to no balance from the other side. Sure there are Obama/Democrat supporters and threads on ATS, but not in proportion to the other side.

It is my contention that this imbalance is encouraging to various members to step-up their rhetoric and is negatively effecting the ability to engage is honest, fact-based political discourse.

Does this imbalance compromise the integrity of a site that does not actively endorse a particular side's ideology?

Have any other members noticed this?

How about the Mods and admin? Do you have an opinion or suggestion?

I respectfully disagree. I think this site is full of partisan hacks that only speak when their side is doing good, and stay quiet when they are not.

Its quite sickening to watch both sides go at each other over stuff that the rest of us have no say in.

All of us 'sane' individuals can only sway the sheep, but we can never convince them that they are blinded.

...and we are the crazy ones because we dont buy most of the garbage that gets thrown in our faces.

...this site is divided into groups just like the mainstream. Its kind of sad.

reply to post by Common Good


Was it as bad during the 2008 election as it is now?

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Lets pretend for a moment that I'm not one of the conservative political hacks.

Would you prefer simple posts where defending ones political ideology is forbidden?

Or a separate forum for conservatives (we can call that one FOX)

And a political forum for leftists (we can call that one MSNBC)

Or perhaps this is the result of poor political leadership and the backlash that it has created.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Yes, only the parties involved are now where their opponents were 4 years ago...screaming about how the last guy screwed us and how the new guy will make it all better.

..yea- all lolli pops and rainbows.

reply to post by beezzer


I think that it would be a tragedy to stifle free speech, so that is not what I am trying to get at here.

What I think is happening is that we have one side of the political spectrum that feeds of itself and has snowballed to the point that their threads, regardless of truth, context, facts or common sense, have become "beyond reproach"....thereby inhibiting the ability to discuss the topics at all.

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
reply to post by beezzer

 

I think that it would be a tragedy to stifle free speech, so that is not what I am trying to get at here.

What I think is happening is that we have one side of the political spectrum that feeds of itself and has snowballed to the point that their threads, regardless of truth, context, facts or common sense, have become "beyond reproach"....thereby inhibiting the ability to discuss the topics at all.

If what I report (as a conservative) is a lie and a falsehood, then regardless of the people that agree with me, any TRUTH you interject into the thread would shine like a diamond in a bowl of potty-mess.

It's the same approach I take when I see the threads supporting the leftist agenda.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


In response to your "observations', I will use Linbaugh's response, he provides the balance to the left media which largely ignores anything remotely supportive of the right. Pehaps the same applies here,although there seems to be plenty of anti-American sentiment/democrat-like rhetoric on these threads, In my opinion....

there are no real republicans on this site. The elite types. The people who stand up for what you would call corporate rights. There are conservatives. There are libertarians. There are liberals. But I have not met a moderate republican such as myself.

reply to post by beezzer


You are a smart dude, Beezer. You know that truth and facts are thrown into many threads that are passed over because they do not fit the narrative the thread was meant to imply.

Facts are easily dismissed by people that refuse to see they may be wrong.

How many times have you read through a thread and you come across a small post that says "Hey, here is what actually happened" or "This is what was actually said" and their post become lost in a sea of political masturbation?

Yes!
But it doesn't matter anymore.
I predict Obama is the last American President in history.
And he will only have the one term.
Read 'em and weep,
system playa's'
time is waning...

Originally posted by sheepslayer247
reply to post by beezzer

 

You are a smart dude, Beezer. You know that truth and facts are thrown into many threads that are passed over because they do not fit the narrative the thread was meant to imply.

Facts are easily dismissed by people that refuse to see they may be wrong.

How many times have you read through a thread and you come across a small post that says "Hey, here is what actually happened" or "This is what was actually said" and their post become lost in a sea of political masturbation?

It does happen. That's why I alter MY message or approach to make sure that it is heard.

Poop happens. Sometimes the point gets made, sometimes it doesn't.

But if people refuse to see the truth then tHEY are the ones at fault.

The whole "Deny Immigrants" or something like that.

Originally posted by sheepslayer247

Have any other members noticed this?

Yes! But the same can be observed in comments on CNN or other sites.

I mentioned this obvious fact somewhere, and someone replied that the majority of people will always bash whoever is in office *at a given time*. Means: If a republican was in office, the tables would be turned and we would see "republican bashing" instead. Reason given: It is "hip" and common to be against the government, depending and regardless WHO is currently holding office.

However, i can't confirm this since i didn't do "studies" in that regards

My current opinion and observation is indeed that many eg. conspiracy threads and similar are really nothing but blatant "Obama bashing" threads..but under disguise, not always immediately evident...POSSIBLY "crafted" for exactly that purpose in the first place. Very few conspiracy theories have NO hidden political agenda.

Originally posted by Common Good
I respectfully disagree. I think this site is full of partisan hacks that only speak when their side is doing good, and stay quiet when they are not.

Excellent Post !

I have NO love for this current Administration, or those who push it, without EVER stating its flaws. That said, BOTH Parties are to blame, for what this country has become. Now for ATS , and it being a "Republican Campaign outlet"?



Anyone can do a search, and see the threads, from BOTH sides. ATS prides its self, as a website, that Deny's Ignorance. I have NEVER seen anyone who owns this site, or Mods this site, pushing an agenda.


NEVER

Unless it has something to do with Silencing ATS, or the harming of ATS, like ( SOPA, ETC)....

I am neutral. I don't identify myself as a Democratic or Republican, and I don't think this country should be divided by political parties. Like religion, political opposition only creates our beliefs. In my opinion, this country would do better if we didn't have to identify ourselves in one of these political affiliation. Too many conflicts in the Congress when we can't get things done as promised by the so called President.

I have not met one such person who is a true Democrat or a true Republican that believes in EVERYTHING that party stands for.

I support Ron Paul simply because he is fighting for what the country is all about. We have too many people in our current administration that is doing a lot of damage and I am afraid it will be years before we can get back to the way it should be.

Disclaimer: I have lurked through ATS before becoming a member, and I have to say, that there are too many shills in this thread that has grown over time. I personally knew someone who confessed to being paid to post in GLP, ATS, etc as a "pro-Israel"... and who has worked in few protests to try to get someone to make anti-semite comments.

The Obama shills are gone mostly because they have no enthusiasm to support their candidate, all he has done over the past couple months is repeat crap about tax returns and the "war on women" horsecrap.

A preview of what is coming this November

reply to post by nwtrucker

Pehaps the same applies here,although there seems to be plenty of anti-American sentiment/democrat-like rhetoric on these threads, In my opinion....

I disagree.

All too often opinions that do not agree with the actions the American government has taken is considered "anti-American". Just because someone disagrees with the government does not mean they do not have the best interests for America at heart.

I would also disagree that there is plenty of democratic-like rhetoric. That's actually quite scarce on this site. Now it's easy to say that opinions that are different than the republican "way of thinking" can be called Democrat-like, but that is simply not so. Just because someone disagrees with the Republican line, does not mean they are pro-Democrat.

Originally posted by nwtrucker
Pehaps the same applies here,although there seems to be plenty of anti-American sentiment/democrat-like rhetoric on these threads, In my opinion....

The Anti-American sentiment, unfortunately is at an ALL time high. America is a great place, the Government holds the Majority of the problems, and the average American, has to wallow through the sentiment, because people cannot seem to distinguish the two, and fail to actually show that there's a difference. IMHO

No one is interested in facts and truth, only their side winning. It's like the eternal 4th grade recess school yard. Everyone aches to believe lies instead of surrender to the facts. If the facts don't support their advancing the ball, make up more lies so your side looks better. The 2 party system MUST be abolished. If there is ANY party affiliation, that inspires us to "pick a team" and defend it to the death instead of ideas and content of character.