Here are some points of clarification for those who were wondering:
- MyDD is not Dailykos. If you have a problem with something that happened at Dailykos, if you were banned from Dailykos, or if you just don't like Dailykos, don't bring it to MyDD. We are a different website, with a different focus (albeit, only slightly different). We have different writers, different commenters, and a different community. We are not the Dailykos garbage can, or a forum where flame wars on that site can be revisited and continued.
- MyDD is not an open, community discussion forum. This is not a message board, or a bulletin board. This is not a place where anyone is allowed to start, direct, or participate in, discussion. This is not even a place where everyone's posts are equal. This website has specific missions it wishes to accomplish, and as we work to accomplish those missions, we will direct discussion accordingly. You have to register an account to post comments at MyDD, and we reserve the right to close that account if you do not act in accordance with the overall spirit and mission of the site.
- MyDD is not a general topic, current events blog. MyDD does not focus on every subject under the sun. We have focused content: elections, political infrastructure and political strategy with an overtly progressive viewpoint. Not only are we not obligated to talk about all topics, but the website would actually be greatly diminished if we talked about all topics. We have carved out a niche market for ourselves where we are able to provide coverage and expertise (or at least a fix for junkies) on a small number of areas. If we tried to write about everything, we would suck. If we changed our focus, we would collapse. If you are upset we are not talking about your pet topic, there are other places where such discussions are taking place.
- MyDD is not a place where we talk to low information voters, or to swing voters. I make no apologies for writing about subjects and in ways that only political junkies can either care about or understand. I don't care if you think preaching to the choir is a bad thing. I don't care if you think the elections we are discussing are "too far off" to deserve attention. We are trying to attract progressive political activists, progressive political junkies and progressive political professionals, so of course we are going to write in their language, on their areas of interest, and from their viewpoint. Like any successful business or political campaign, we try to cater to our target market.
- MyDD is not Crossfire. MyDD is not a place for "balance." It is not for Republicans. We have no intention of presenting the opposing partisan side of an argument. If you don't like that, tough. We are a place for Democrats and progressives. We do not make that a secret. This is not a place to forge national unity. We are trying to help build the progressive movement. Sports teams don't allow their opponents to participate in their practices. Companies do not allow competitors to participate in board meetings. Political campaigns do not allow their opponents to participate in staff meetings. Conservative talk show hosts like Rush Limbaugh don't have progressive co-anchors. The only people who are allowed to participate in MyDD are people who are willing and capable of doing so in a way that helps forward our goals.
- MyDD is not a media entity where non-Democratic candidates are endorsed, even in the diaries and comments. This should be obvious given everything else I have written in this post, but let me make it clear as day. What is written on MyDD in comments and diaries reflects on the rest of the website. Given our mission and areas of focus, any diary that overtly supports a candidate for American office that is not a Democrat will be deleted (when I finally notice it). In some cases, it will result in banning. Quite frankly, if I did not do that on a website where I was responsible for the content, I would quite possibly be in violation of the bylaws of the Pennsylvania State Democratic Committee, on which I hold a seat. We clearly don't always like what Democrats do, but in the end only Democrats get endorsed.
- MyDD is not a place that tolerates 9/11 conspiracy theories. Posting such theories in the diaries of comments will result in immediate banning (when I notice them). Period.
- MyDD is does not operate for free. These days, MyDD produces nearly 100 front page posts, and an even larger number of Breaking Blue pieces, every week. Our average daily traffic is close to 30,000 people. We use custom-made software to keep the site running. In order to produce the content, programming, and server space necessary to keep MyDD running, we have to sell ads and solicit reader donations. We simply have no other option. Anyone who wants to purchase an ad here can do so. If you think that makes us sell-outs or beholden to our advertisers, you are absolutely wrong.
I felt the need to make these points clear. I appreciate the vast majority of comments and diaries at MyDD, but people need to know what I do not tolerate on this blog. If we didn't follow these rules, and if we didn't police anti-social commenting and comment rating, the site would go down the tubes. It does not take long for trolls, off-topic comments, and flame wars to bring a site down, if left unregulated. If we want to be successful, both for the causes we support and for ourselves, we have no choice but to regulate discussion, focus our content, cater to our target audience, and generate revenue. Those are the realities in which our community is based.
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